Feb 14, 2024, 02:01 PM IST

Valentine's Day 2024: Most important Bollywood romantic films from each decade

Abhimanyu Mathur

On Valentine’s Day, a look at some iconic Bollywood romances from across the years that defined their decades

Devdas (1930s): KL Saigal epitomised the tragic romantic hero in this classic, which set the template for future Bollywood romances

Andaz (1940s): Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Nargis starred in this love triangle, which set the tone for how Hindi films approached the genre

Awaara (1950s): A film that explored class divide in romance and pitted the heroine as an equal, this RK film was years ahead of its time

Mughal-e-Azam (1960s): The ultimate Indian film, a romance of epic proportions that is one of the greatest films ever made

Amar Prem (1970s): The film that showcased Rajesh Khanna’s superstardom, this was a tale of love, sacrifice, and simplicity

Sadma (1980s): The Moondram Pirai remake is perhaps the best tragedy made in Hindi cinema, elevated by Kamal Haasan and Sridevi’s masterclasses

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1990s): The modernisation of Indian romances began here, as did SRK’s rise as the King of Romance

Veer Zaara (2000s): Yash Chopra’s swansong (we will not count that last release), this is the last of Bollywood’s old-school romances

The Lunchbox (2010s): The toast of Cannes, this film showcased a mature platonic romance with exemplary performances from Irrfan, Nimrat, and Nawaz

Next: 10 biggest flops in Bollywood history, number 1 lost Rs 250 crore