Romance, tragedy, jingoism, same-sex: How Hindi cinema has fallen in love over the years
Discovering love is a beautiful surprise. It cannot be timed. It cannot be predicted. It just happens.
Regardless of the outcome, each one of us has fallen in love sometime or the other. The person we have been attracted to might have been from our college or neighbourhood or workplace. Knowing that love is a relatable subject, many Bollywood filmmakers have walked down that path in their films.
If one were to make a list of romantic films made in Bollywood, it would run into a few hundred pages.
That would reveal, among other things, that the average filmmaker has usually toed the safety-first line.
In the standard romance of the predictable kind, one comes across a clichéd scenario where boy meets girl, the two fall in love, and this is usually followed by a happy ending.
Such films were particularly common in the past. But there was that odd occasion when the filmmaker looked around the stereotype and imparted a sophisticated treatment to the theme.
Guru Dutt did that memorably in Pyaasa (1957) — the haunting story of a poet (Dutt), who is initially unsuccessful and later realises that the people around him aren't trustworthy. A prostitute (Waheeda Rehman) showers love and compassion on him in an outstanding story that reflects on creativity, love, greed and selfishness.
If Mughal-e-Azam (1960) shows the love story of Prince Salim (Dilip Kumar) and Anarkali (Madhubala) with its tragic grandeur, Guide (1965) is the engaging portrayal of a smart-alecky tourist guide (Dev Anand) who gets attracted to a married woman (Waheeda Rehman).
These films are classics since they seek to portray romance in a nuanced manner — which cannot be said about most mainstream Bollywood films from that era.
History mirrors how the film industry has preferred to make romantic comedies most often. Occasionally shifting its gaze, it has also tackled tragedies. Fewer tragedies have been made though since they're usually perceived as a commercially risky idea. However, some well-made sad love stories have found millions of viewers.
1981 saw the release of Ek Duuje Ke Liye, the story of the love of a North Indian girl (Rati Agnihotri) and a South Indian boy (Kamal Haasan), who are neighbours. Confronted with family opposition and deceived by people around them, both commit suicide.
1988 was the year of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak in which two youngsters (Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla) from warring families fall in love, rebel and escape to the countryside. Their families catch up with them, leading to a tragic climax.
Love's labour won has been the driving force of most romantic films though.
In Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), a mischievous and spoilt NRI brat (Shah Rukh Khan) learns to appreciate Indian culture after falling in love with a simple girl (Kajol), who comes from a conservative family, headed by a strict patriarch (Amrish Puri). The film became a phenomenon, establishing the marketability of Hindi films in overseas markets.
There have been times when filmmakers have highlighted familial interference as an obstacle to love. This was seen in films like Raja Hindustani (1996) where a taxi driver (Aamir Khan) marries an affluent girl (Karisma Kapoor) against her parents' wishes. The climax was a happy one though.
In the jingoistic Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001), a Sikh man (Sunny Deol) who has married a Muslim girl (Amisha Patel) must go to Pakistan to rescue his wife from the clutches of her family — which he does, of course, in the process, highlighting not only his love for his sweetheart but also for his country and faith.
Where there is love, can love triangles be far behind?
Bollywood filmmakers seemed to have realised this long ago, which explains why there have been many romances based on the same theme. Sangam (1964), Saagar (1985), Chandni (1989), Rangeela (1995), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) — many such films have been extremely popular.
Perhaps more viewers relate to the triangle theme than we think!
Hindi cinema has changed dramatically in recent years. There are more medium-budget, non-star films than ever before. Ideation has become more significant. Offbeat themes are becoming increasingly popular.
Films tell stories of people's lives, and romance continues to be as popular as ever — but many modern movie-makers shy away from showing 'instant' love, which characterised many films of yesteryears.
In Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (2013) the protagonists (Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone) unite after years go by. The man makes a professional sacrifice to be with the woman he loves, a strong decision that isn't made overnight.
In Socha Na Tha (2005), two people realise they love each other — but not when the boy is compelled to meet the girl in an arranged marriage scenario. Their mutual attraction isn't love at first sight, which was very common in cinematic romances of yore.
In Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), a couple (Ayushmann Khurana and Bhumi Pednekar) are forced into an arranged marriage. The couple goes for a divorce — but gradually fall in love after the court orders them to be together for six months.
Films with ensemble casts give more opportunities for diverse subplots. Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd (2007), the story of six honeymooning couples, features an elderly couple (Boman Irani and Shabana Azmi) who have gone through a divorce in their respective lives before getting married for the second time. They have to endure the mockery of people around them — but they don't give a damn. The characterisation of both individuals was refreshingly real. Filmmakers need to show more such relationships if commercial Hindi cinema aspires to portray life as we know it in modern times.
Hindi cinema has been traditionally uneasy about showing same-sex relationships. Gays have been usually turned into appalling caricatures to entertain the crowds.
The recently released Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, starring Sonam Kapoor a Punjabi girl in love with another woman, is a significant step in the right direction. Similar films can serve to educate people since they need to understand that same-sex love isn't unnatural — if that is what they think.
Being in love doesn't mean unconditional commitment. In Love Aaj Kal (2009), the London-based modern-day protagonists move on with their lives, parting amicably when circumstances change. They unite in the long run — after both of them have been in relationships with other people.
How real is that?
Urban India has metamorphosed in the last couple of decades. Earlier, live-in relationships were seen as a typically Western phenomenon. In recent years, however, many couples have opted for such relationships in big cities. Society frowns upon them. Parents are rarely supportive. But those who believe in the concept go ahead anyway.
Commercial Hindi cinema has tackled the theme, albeit with different stories, in films like Salaam Namaste (2005) and Shudh Desi Romance (2013). Live-in relationships are yet another subject Hindi cinema needs to address far more often.
The average, modern-day viewer has more exposure to avenues of entertainment compared to her predecessor. That is part of the reason why directors can explore diverse shades of romance with more confidence. That is important, since falling in love is different from finding the right person in one's life.
Also, love isn't just about meeting and dating and singing and dancing, with the sublime guarantee that nothing will go wrong.
Love has so many more shades to it. Many of which Bollywood has yet to show us.