Love is not always the thunderclap. Sometimes, it is the faint rustle of leaves when no one is watching, the warmth of a hand brushing past ...
Love is not always the thunderclap. Sometimes, it is the faint rustle of leaves when no one is watching, the warmth of a hand brushing past yours, a lingering fragrance you cannot name. It hides in half-finished conversations, in letters that never arrive, in the way two strangers choose to sit next to each other in a crowded train. Love can be a smile you remember years later, a memory that visits uninvited, or an ache that grows gentler with time but never leaves. It is not always about unions and happily-ever-afters — sometimes it is about recognising another soul, if only for a moment, and carrying that recognition forever.
Bollywood, often known for its grand love stories, has also gifted us quieter tales — films that step away from the spotlight and let love breathe in its most unadorned, human form. In the following twelve films, romance takes on forms that are tender, imperfect, and deeply personal. These are stories where love is about companionship, understanding, and an undefinable vibe; where even unrequited emotions and separations hold their own beauty.
Rajnigandha (1974)
Basu Chatterjee’s Rajnigandha captures the subtle pull of nostalgia. Deepa’s heart wavers between the steadfast Sanjay and the charm of her ex, Navin. It’s not a love triangle of fiery confrontations, but of quiet self-questioning. The scent of Rajnigandha, everyday gestures, and awkward silences speak more than words. Love here is the soft confusion of recognising that the heart can hold two different affections at once.
Ijaazat (1987)
Gulzar’s Ijaazat is a masterclass in portraying love’s aftertaste. Two former lovers meet at a railway station years after their parting, and in those few hours, the depth of their shared past unfolds. Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah’s restrained performances, paired with Gulzar’s poetry and Pancham’s music, reveal how love can linger as an unresolved tenderness — one that does not fade even when life has moved on.
Qareeb Qareeb Single (2017)
Tanuja Chandra’s film is a love letter to the unpredictability of companionship. A cautious widow and a maverick poet set off on a trip together, discovering in mismatched conversations and unexpected laughter that connection can bloom between the most unlikely of people. It’s a story that says: sometimes, love isn’t about finding someone who mirrors you, but someone who makes your world brighter.
Ek Main Aur Ek Tu (2012)
In Shakun Batra’s hands, the rom-com gets a refreshingly honest twist. The bond between Rahul and Riana doesn’t end in romance, but in a lasting friendship. They change each other’s lives, not through grand sacrifices, but through the simple act of being present. This is love stripped of ownership — a reminder that you can love someone deeply without calling them yours.
The Lunchbox (2013)
Ritesh Batra’s delicate film spins a love story without a single meeting. A mistaken tiffin delivery connects two strangers, who begin exchanging letters tucked inside lunchboxes. As they share recipes, fears, and dreams, a relationship takes root — intimate in its honesty, yet untouched by physical presence. Here, love is the slow growth of trust and empathy across an unseen bridge.
Sir (2018)
Rohena Gera’s Sir is a study in the quiet defiance of the heart. A domestic worker and her employer begin to see each other beyond the barriers of class. They exchange no overt confessions, yet the tenderness in their glances speaks volumes. Love, in this story, is also about recognising and honouring each other’s dignity and aspirations.
October (2018)
Shoojit Sircar’s October is perhaps the purest distillation of unselfish love in recent cinema. Dan’s devotion to Shiuli, who lies in a coma, has no motive or expectation. It is a love that exists entirely in care, in presence, in quiet vigil. The question “Where is she?” becomes less about location and more about a soul’s place in his life.
Socha Na Tha (2005)
Imtiaz Ali’s debut reminds us that love is often born in friendship’s easy rhythm. Initially rejecting each other in an arranged marriage setup, Viren and Aditi’s connection grows over time through conversations, teasing, and shared confidences. By the time they realise they’re in love, it feels less like falling and more like coming home.
Avinash Arun’s Three of Us unfolds like a gentle sigh. A woman, her husband, and her childhood sweetheart take a journey back to the town of her youth. It’s a film about the love that remains after the romance has ended — about closure, respect, and the unspoken comfort of knowing someone once loved you deeply.
Meri Pyaari Bindu (2017)
This bittersweet romance finds its strength in imperfection. Abhimanyu’s love for Bindu is messy, unbalanced, and never reciprocated in the way he wishes. Yet it enriches his life, giving him stories, memories, and songs. The film suggests that sometimes, the act of loving is more significant than being loved back.
8 A.M. Metro (2023)
Based on Gulzar’s poetry, this film tells the story of two strangers who cross paths on a daily train commute. Through conversations and shared silences, they open up to each other in ways they cannot with those closest to them. Their connection is transient, yet it changes them permanently — proof that even brief encounters can leave eternal imprints.
Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na (2008)
On the surface, this is a bright college romance, but its heart beats in the friendship between Jai and Aditi. Their banter, fights, and comfort in each other’s presence slowly reveal that the truest love is often the one that feels effortless. The film’s resolution isn’t a grand revelation — it’s the realisation that the person you belong with has been by your side all along.
Love Beyond the Obvious
In these 12 films, love wears no mask of perfection. It is sometimes hesitant, sometimes fleeting, sometimes unfinished. It exists in handwritten notes, in a train seat shared, in a memory that resurfaces on a quiet evening.
By
Pratik Majumdar
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