Old school romance to right swipe culture: GenZ revisits Shah Rukh Khan’s Mohabbatein 25 years later
As Mohabbatein clocks 25 years of its release, I, a GenZ revisited to draw parallels between today's youth love and Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai's old school Bollywood romance.
Revisiting Aditya Chopra’s Mohabbatein (2000) almost left me intrigued to watch all the films of that era, especially when everyone is entangled in new age terms of ghosting, gaslighting, situationships, and benching. The film, that featured an ensemble cast of Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Amitabh Bachchan and others, is a classic romantic drama for a reason. As the movie completes 25 years of its release today, I, a GenZ, watched YRF’s old-school Bollywood film, with its iconic background music playing in the back of my mind continuously.
1. An emotion in every frame
It has been a long time since I saw a film that showcases an emotion in each and every frame. There was something almost poetic about all the dialogues of Mohabbatein — from Amitabh aka Narayan Shankar laying down Gurukul’s rules to Shah Rukh aka Raj Aryan rebelling him. Even the songs, uniform and campus visuals turned up the emotional value.
Compared to now, when everything feels half-hearted, shallow and empty, be it reel or real life. The focus has shifted towards being your own person and complicating relationships with new-age terms, instead of being selfless and giving for a special someone. The three student trios showed the difference between instant love and patient passion in a beautiful way.
2. True love realisation
A still from Mohabbatein
It’s not unfair when millennials and boomers taunt GenZs for getting entangled in between situationships so badly, that the realisation of true love vanishes somewhere. Watching Mohabbatein opened new gates to the meaning of true love and what it actually meant in that era. It’s sad that films like Loveyapa and Nadaniyaan are leading the way for today’s youth to define what this pure feeling is. While these movies aimed to showcase the reality of this generation’s mindset, the impact looks somewhat negative, promoting the materialistic, time-forward thought process.
Even while drawing parallels between Mohabbatein’s old-school love and how GenZ approaches romance, I realised that the core remains the same, despite their different takes on it. In this, Narayan Shankar abides strongly by tradition, legacy and control – ‘Parampara, Pratishtha, Anushasan’ is his mantra, and Raj challenges it. Gen Z also faces its own version of that – parental expectations vs personal aspirations, societal limitations vs individualism. The film, with its melodrama, shows that clash in a different way, yet the core is similar. Love as rebellion isn’t dead (yet).
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4. Music playlist power
A still from Mohabbatein
Mohabbatein’s music by Jatin-Lalit unexpectedly appealed to me. For GenZ listeners, the soundtrack added value and depth to the feelings of all the characters. Watching a love story of another generation’s youth with ‘Aankhein Khuli’, ‘Humko Humise Chura Lo’ and ‘Chalte Chalte’ playing in the background was refreshing after scrolling 30-second songs trending on reels.
In 2000s, college love had meaning – poems under a tree, dramatic walks and dramatic sweeping gestures, while we have seen a cinematic shift in our generation’s love – digital and materialistic romance. To all the GenZs out there, revisiting Mohabbatein wasn’t just about nostalgia, but learning how to fall in love. It raises a cultural conversation – the beauty of rigid discipline of the older generation, while giving warmth and solace.
Navya Kharbanda is an Entertainment Journalist and Cinematic Commentator at The Indian Express, where she specializes in bridging the gap between classic Bollywood heritage and contemporary Gen-Z perspectives. Her work is characterized by a blend of nostalgia-driven analysis and on-the-ground reporting from major film festivals and industry events.
Experience & Professional Background
Navya is a prominent voice on The Indian Express entertainment desk, known for her ability to secure candid interviews with both legendary veterans and rising stars. Her career highlights include:
The Indian Express: Covers a wide range of topics from high-stakes box office analysis to in-depth celebrity profiles. She is a regular at major events like the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
SCREEN Interviews: Navya has conducted a series of "exclusive conversations" for SCREEN, featuring industry stalwarts like Anupam Kher, Vishal Bhardwaj, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and Suhasini Maniratnam.
Archival Reporting: She is noted for her sensitive handling of archival interviews and retrospectives, recently covering the legacy of late superstar Dharmendra and the career reflections of the late Satish Shah.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Navya’s beat is uniquely defined by her "Gen-Z Revisit" series, where she re-evaluates cult classics through a modern lens. Her core areas of expertise include:
Cinematic Retrospectives: Analyzing 80s and 90s landmarks like Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, and Mohabbatein to explore how themes of romance and rebellion resonate with today’s youth.
Industry Insights: Tracking the career resurgences of actors (e.g., Akshaye Khanna) and the evolving dynamics of film production and distribution in the OTT era.
On-Set Dynamics: Reporting on behind-the-scenes stories from major productions, ranging from the technical challenges of Mirzapur: The Film to the work ethics of superstars like Shah Rukh Khan.
South Indian Cinema: Expanding her coverage to include the impact of regional icons and the rise of pan-Indian fantasy epics like Magadheera.
Authoritativeness & Trust
Navya Kharbanda has established her authority by consistently providing "Journalism of Courage" in the entertainment sphere. Whether she is interrogating the sexism in patriarchal classics or reporting on the fair-pay debates at international film festivals, her work prioritizes factual accuracy and critical objectivity. Her ability to synthesize deep industry history with modern audience trends makes her a trusted source for readers seeking both entertainment news and thoughtful cultural commentary. ... Read More
A still from Mohabbatein
A still from Mohabbatein
