 "Tere Ishk Mein, Saiyaara, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan: How romance is back on Bollywood celluloid")
Post the end of the pandemic, audiences became obsessed with what came to be known as mass cinema. Cinema driven by larger-than-life characters, swag, style, sweat, bloodshed, violence, and a tinge of suspension of disbelief. It always takes one film to break the clutter and escape the rigmarole of cliches. It seems the second half of 2025 was dominated by romantic films and true love is back on celluloid and how.
Here are the films that have proven how love seems to have taken over violence in what was a much needed breather.
**Saiyaara**It’s a film that stars two newcomers, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. During the promotions, director Mohit Suri has been speaking about the comparisons with Rockstar and Aashiqui 2. The hero is a reckless maniac, the heroine is a fragile soul bruised inside out. And just like many of his previous outings, Saiyaara too begins with a heart-breaking moment.
What keeps Saiyaara afloat is how two new faces submit to the vision of a filmmaker despite the messiness and imperfection of the narrative. What also holds the film together is the stunning title track
Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan
Though Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan lacks the kind of depth we expect to see in a Vikrant Massey film, it is a great one-time watch. For the first time, Vikrant’s fans will see him in a completely different avatar. In a landscape suffocated by gore, it is a welcome break to see one romantic movie after another.
Kaveri Das, Business Head, Hindi ZEE5 said, “Romance is making a powerful comeback through films like Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyaan because love stories never really go out of fashion, they just find new ways to connect with each generation. At ZEE5, we see this reflected in the fact that drama and romance consistently lead viewership across metros as well as tier-2 and 3 cities. Our focus is on reimagining this timeless genre through fresh narratives and diverse voices, bringing alive stories of love that are both nostalgic and deeply relatable for today’s audiences”
Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari
Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari brings Varun Dhawan back to the zone that he has nailed in the past. With Baby John, he lost track. This one should hit the bullseye. He also has Border 2 coming up.
Tere Ishk Mein
The teaser of Bhushan Kumar and Aanand L Rai’s much-awaited romantic drama ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ has taken the internet by storm, with audiences praising its emotionally charged visuals and a heart-aching musical score by legendary A.R. Rahman.
However at the centre of the buzz is the intense and magnetic chemistry between Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, a pairing that feels both fresh and electric. Audiences are captivated by the intensity and passion in their on-screen chemistry, sparking excitement around this unexpected and refreshing pairing in Bollywood.
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