 "Dhanush in 'Tere Ishk Mein', Shahid Kapoor in 'Kabir Singh,' Ranbir Kapoor in 'Rockstar': How jilted, heartbroken characters have scored at the box-office")
When it comes to heartbreaks, some actors don’t just perform, they live every bit of the feeling so beautifully that it feels poetic instead of looking messy and overly dramatic. Their heartbreaks don’t scream pain; instead they let it talk through silence, glassy eyes, and smiles that don’t indicate happiness. So what is it about their explosiveness that connects with fans and generates mammoth box-office?
The debate around the success of such films continues to splash on social media that further piques curiosities. And here are some examples:
Dhanush – Raanjhanaa & Tere Ishk Mein
In both the Aanand L Rai directorial works, the leading man played a small-town ticking time bomb who wouldn’t give up until the woman he has been smitten by reciprocates to his alarming advances. Going by the numbers, both the films may have struck a chord with what we call the masses of the nation.
Whether it’s Kundan’s deep, obsessive and passionate love in Raanjhanaa, or the destructive mix of love, rage, betrayal and vengeance of Shankar in Tere Ishk Mein , Dhanush turns heartbreak into motion that cuts right through your heart!
Shahid Kapoor – Kabir Singh
A severely flawed leading man that was bound to be met with polarizing reactions. Kabir Singh showed where heartbreak can lead you. The way Kapoor holds himself after a massive heartbreak shows that the feeling can be devastating, but poetic in its own sense. And box-office and backlash could go hand-in-hand.
Ranbir Kapoor – Rockstar
Ranbir Kapoor gave a newfound meaning to heartbreak in Rockstar. He made everyone hold onto ‘Mera dil nahi tootna chahiye, and somewhere, people continue to remain hopeful. Jordan’s journey from innocence to agony is so engaging that you feel a part of it.
Aditya Roy Kapur – Aashiqui 2
Aditya Roy Kapur perfected heartbreak in Aashiqui 2. With quiet suffering and self-destruction, he made heartbreak look like a beautiful tragedy.
Ranveer Singh – Lootera
Titled Lootera, where the sobriquet spotlights the principal performer’s identity, Vikramaditya Motwane created an exquisite drama about two souls who are attracted to each other in the quaint town of Manikpur, West Bengal of 1953. Ranveer Singh played Varun and Sonakshi Sinha played Pakhi, separated by contrasting personalities and united by deep silences.
Director Motwane created tender moments between its leads using minimalism and music, the actors hardly uttered but communicated a volume of emotions through their eyes. Every moment of heartbreak and humor was channelized through restraint.