There has been a gradual shift in the kind of films that are being created in Bollywood these days. Filmmakers are now drifting away from the usual fairy-tale romances that are churned out year after year and this new realistic and progressive approach towards filmmaking is like a breath of fresh air.  

Breaking away from the usual girl-meets-boy-they-fall-in-love stereotype, Bollywood’s new breed of storytellers are writing romances and etching characters which are more rooted to reality. So here’s taking a look at some refreshing storylines which aren’t the usual Bollywood potboilers that we’re usual served with.  

Kal Ho Na Ho

Until the end, we were rooting for a Shah Rukh Khan-Preity Zinta union but that didn’t happen. Shah Rukh Khan’s character (Aman) falls in love with Preity Zinta (Naina ) but encourages her to pursue romance with Saif Ali Khan instead because he is suffering from an illness. Emotions run high during the last scene when Aman breathes high last.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

This was a beautiful and realistic film (starring Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma) about unrequited love which makes one realise that love is not always about a happily-ever-after, like how it is portrayed in most films. Sometimes, you have to go through a series of heartaches before you find the one.

Lootera

The passionate affair between Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha was short-lived in Lootera. Although it was Sonakshi Sinha who was fatally ill, but it was Ranveer Singh’s character who passed away in the end, leaving us all teary-eyed. 

The Dirty Picture

Vidya Balan played the titular character in this film, which was based on Silk Smitha’s life. The final moments when she ends her life is definitely one of the most heart-wrenching scenes ever. 

Devdas

With Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s character marrying another man and Shah Rukh Khan’s character drowning all his sorrows in alcohol, it was a tragic end to a beautiful love story.