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The best modern Bollywood rom-coms prove that no matter where you live or which language you speak, there’s nothing like that warm fuzzy feeling of a romantic comedy.
Despite the growth of the Hindi language film industry and the global appeal of movies coming out of the industry, however, it often feels like a familiar few vintage titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s still dominate the conversation surrounding Bollywood. But contemporary Bollywood rom-coms deserve to be celebrated.
It has been estimated that Bollywood, the industry that makes the most films every year, produces films that are watched by over 2.6 million people worldwide, and that number is only growing as streaming services become increasingly accessible and actors begin to hop industries. With performers like Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra traveling across the world and lending some of their talent to the West, familiar faces are beginning to pop up in the Bollywood and Hollywood industries, likely piquing the interests of audiences.
Though classics can offer the perfect amount of nostalgia, we can’t help but feel like the occasional tired, sexist stabs and perpetuation of patriarchal ideals are just not doing it for us anymore. It’s easy to revisit the iconic films we knew as kids, the ones we initially thought were harmless, and forget that the love stories of yester-year were often told through a misogynistic lens. Though there’s still quite a ways to go, and innumerable issues in the industry remain, the newer generation of films has actually begun to tell more diverse and inclusive stories of romance, uplifting female storytellers and directors, while visiting previously unexplored themes like mental health and sexuality.
If you’re looking for a dose of comfort and fun, and you have a few hours to spare, look no further than this list of the 13 best modern Bollywood romantic comedies.
Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (2013)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Ask any Bollywood fan what their favorite films are and Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani will likely be on the list. This movie follows a group of unlikely friends through a trip in the Himalayas, joining them as they fall in love, experience heartbreak, and explore independence from their parents for the first time. After a time jump, the friendship is revisited again but this time with the backdrop of a destination wedding filled with music, drama, and gorgeous clothing. Everything about this film tugs on your heartstrings, whether it's the endearing dialogue, the friendship goals, the love story that gives you butterflies, or the amazing soundtrack.
Shuddh Desi Romance (2013)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
A number of delightful romantic comedy tropes and classic elements of the genre show up in this movie, but it manages to resist predictability at every turn. Its characters are real and lovable, and the two leading women in the film exhibit a level of freedom and agency over their own lives that was previously quite rare for female characters in Bollywood. It seeks to challenge the social norms of marriage as an institution while managing to be perfectly romantic and deeply funny at the same time.
Queen (2013)
Where to watch: Netflix
This is the type of feel-good film that Bollywood thrives off of, and audiences will continue loving this one for decades to come. The film follows a small town girl whose fiance leaves her at the altar, but she surprises all those who expect her to sit idly and weep in response by deciding to go on her honeymoon… alone. Cue: a slightly naive girl roaming Europe, making friends in her hostel, accidentally eating snails in Paris, and learning more about the world around her than she could have ever imagined. This love story isn’t with someone else, but with herself, and we could always use a little more self-love.
Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014)
Where to watch: Netflix, Prime Video
Die-hard fans of Bollywood will immediately recognize this story as a tribute to the 1995 Bollywood favorite, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, focusing on a young girl from a small town who meets a lover that matches her energy (but not her parents’ list of requirements in a husband) as she takes one last trip to the big city before her upcoming arranged marriage. While it’s not an entirely new story, it’s one that’s full of good one-liners, fun musical numbers, and unreal chemistry between the two leads.
Dil Dhadakne Do (2015)
Where to watch: Netflix
This movie has everything that makes it the perfect romantic comedy – a star-studded cast, beautiful locations (it takes place on a Mediterranean cruise!), a heartfelt script, and a soundtrack with fun songs that are paired with memorable hook steps. It’s a family drama, but a not-so-typical one, exploring topics of divorce, misogyny, interfaith relationships, and unconventional marriages, which is outside the status quo for most Bollywood films.
Phillauri (2016)
Where to watch: Hulu
Romantic comedies often ask the audience to suspend disbelief, and this quirky ghost story definitely requires a bit of that. With two love stories in one film, each occurring a century apart from the other, it has something for everyone, from a bygone forbidden romance with folk music as a backdrop to a modern young couple grappling with the realities of lifelong commitment. This movie bridges two generations by using the ghosts of India’s colonial past (literally and figuratively) to remind us of the love and life lost under Britain’s violent rule.
Dear Zindagi (2016)
Where to watch: Netflix
This coming of age story focuses on a young woman who repairs her relationship with herself and her inner child as she works to understand her past traumas with the help of regular meetings with a therapist. Mental health and therapy is a topic not often discussed in Bollywood films, especially not the mainstream ones. The slice-of-life nature of the film makes it relatable and an easy watch, but the topics and themes that are explored make it an impactful film that is a must-watch.
Tumhari Sulu (2017)
Where to watch: Prime Video
It’s not hard to find films in Bollywood where a housewife or a mother is treated with condescension, written in as nothing more than a punchline. In this movie, one such suburban housewife stumbles into the role of a popular and seductive late-night radio host, subverting that common “aunty” stereotype by presenting us with a character that is daring and sincere in all her mishaps as she barrels towards creating an identity for herself outside of the home. The romance in this story is not showy nor is it extravagant, but rather rooted in the idea that an ordinary love is just as fulfilling and worthwhile even without the grandiosity we’re used to seeing.
Love Per Square Foot (2018)
Where to watch: Netflix
For fans of the marriage of convenience trope, this movie is a boy-meets-girl romance that’s pushed forward by the struggles of being middle class in a big city, as two strangers agree to enter a relationship with the sole purpose of qualifying for a housing lottery. The two leads have serious chemistry on-screen, and the hijinks that ensue due to their scheming make this an especially fun watch. If you’ve ever dreamt of either falling in love or finding affordable housing, this one’s for you.
Manmarziyaan (2018)
Where to watch: Prime Video
This film is an underrated and slightly darker take on a modern day love story. Love triangles are commonplace in the romantic comedy genre, but this one puts the power in the hands of an unconventional female protagonist while fully allowing its lovers to be the sometimes confused, often lonely young people that they actually are. The dialogue is witty and smart, and the plot is fun. The characters are definitely flawed, but you still find yourself rooting for them as you watch how their story unfolds.
Badhaai Ho (2018)
Where to watch: Hulu
Could you imagine being in your 20s when your parents reveal an unplanned pregnancy? That’s exactly what happens to the lead character in this film as he tries to navigate his own rocky romantic relationships, and it’s the perfect set up for a movie that’s as hilarious as it is earnest in its reaction to this anomaly. This story dares to explore what intimacy and love looks like when it’s not so young anymore, and it works brilliantly to remind us that parents are people, too.
Ek Ladki Koh Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019)
Where to watch: Netflix
While films that have explored LGBTQ relationships in Bollywood in the past have relied on stereotypes and sloppy storytelling, Ek Ladki Koh Dekha Toh Aisa Laga doesn’t fall into those tropes. This is the simple story of a girl who falls in love with another girl and is trying her best to make her family understand. There are no frills or fancy locations, the characters are easy to love, and the romance is wholesomely charming.
Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020)
Where to watch: Prime Video
The laugh-out-loud comedy of this movie is perfectly balanced by a story that completely subverts the same stereotypes and punchline formulas that Bollywood has previously forced upon gay men. Another queer love story from recent years, this film seeks to unravel the homophobia that results from a deeply patriarchal family structure using a level of charm that cannot be beat. It’ll leave you smiling and yearning for a similar love that transcends fear and caution.