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A love-story is essentially a story of two people in love, whose happiness and sacrifices leave you both tearful and smiling with joy. But, most love-stories I’ve seen in recent times are in the romantic comedy genre. They are not hardcore love-stories like say, The Notebook. Here, instead they try to fit a love story in a romcom. These are just fun films with a little bit of romance thrown in it. I call them romantic films, but not a love-story.
Since the last few years, we’ve been seeing only romcoms in Hindi films. Once in while, you get a story like Ek Duje Ke Liye. That film was one of the most beautiful love-stories ever told on the Indian screen. For that matter, even Aashiqui 2. I believe people liked that film because they got to see a really emotional tale after a long time. I’m not saying that because I’ve written it, but I would have had the same opinion about a film like Aashiqui 2, even if someone else had written it. That connection with the characters doesn’t come from the clichéd romcoms.
Talking about romances also brings to mind the divide, wherein if characters are in the city and young, then it’s a romcom, but if the film is based in a village, it’s not a romcom. I think that divide needs to be done away with completely.
Even a film set in the rural backdrop can be a good romantic film. For instance, Raanjhanaa, I feel, is a far more superior love-story than so many romcoms being made in the last 20 years. It can give any romcom, made in any part of the country, a run for its money, because it has been beautifully crafted and for its simplicity. The film moved you with its heart-breaking story. I believe we should have more films like these, but I think it all depends on the person writing the film. You have to be in love, or should have experienced love to be able to write a heart-wrenching tale.
What works behind the success of a romantic film? I believe there are many factors that aid in the success of a love story — music, story, direction and performances all go hand-in-hand. I may have written a good story, but if the director didn’t execute it well, or the music wasn’t good, how will the audience be drawn to watching the film? If you see the graph of the love-stories made, some of them had some very brilliant actors. There was Arjun Kapoor-Parineeti Chopra in Ishaqzaade, or Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela. Aashiqui 2 did not have stars, but the music, story, and Mohit Suri’s direction did wonders for it.
The romantic films that worked last year had a good combination of all factors and they looked different. The beautiful work done by the director (Anand L Rai) in Raanjhanaa was backed by an unique story, great performances and good music. That combination is what works! At the end of the day, even a love story falls under various categories. Like, I would call …Ram-leela a colourful love story, because of the scale and the whole feel. Raanjhanaa is a classic tale of love.
was an urban love story, rooted in Mumbai-Pune. All these films had their own pockets, hence all of them did well. What probably drew the audience towards them is that they all looked different.
There is, and will always remain a great divide between a grand romcom, and a classic love story, and we can probably do with more of the latter.
As told to Ankita R. Kanabar
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