Valentine’s Day is here and what’s better than catching up on some of the most romantic movies of all time with your special someone.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
We all grew up watching the movie, the pretext of which might have appealed to many- to be able to erase that person from your mind, who has given you bitter memories, and the lead characters-Clementine and Joel, succeed in it too. But despite all the pain and heartbreak which they go through, and even after having erased the memory of their relationship from their mind, they meet again, and invariably start falling for each other. The last scene, where Joel asks Clementine “to wait for a little while,” when Clementine explains- that she is “...not a concept…a girl who is just looking for her own peace of mind..,” remains the most memorable one. Though Clementine brings up all the probable problems which they might face if both of them got together- Joel owns it up completely, with just an “Okay.” It brought forth, not just the role of our behavioral patterns which dominates our relationships but also gave us some serious relationship goals.
When Harry Met Sally
So when do you know that you are in love? When you first meet them or when you start missing them? Some take it a month to realise, while others take three- twelve years and three months, to realise that they might be in love. The most romantic moments will undoubtedly be the one where Harry confesses to a reluctant and sceptical Sally, about his feelings for her, about how he loves everything about her. Although she is unwilling to believe at first, quite taken in by her own scepticism, she is bowled over when he says, “I came here tonight because when you know you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” Bowled over we are too, even 20 years down the line.
In the Mood for Love
The movie which became quite famous for its iconic colour palettes and framing was, in the end, a love story between two people, whose spouses were having an affair. While it is not always explicitly shown, who their philandering spouses are- both Chow Mo-wan (played by Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (played by Maggie Cheung) form a deep bond which is platonic, and yet a lot like love. The two-minute sequence in the movie which shows both characters cross each other’s paths, with Shigeru Umebayashi’s famous track playing in the background, remains the most romantic and timeless sequence ever. One not just feels the pathos of the characters but also tries to anticipate the future outcome of the monotonous life they are leading, all the while the song is playing in the background.
Titanic
It is difficult to choose any one moment from the movie, which was based on a real-life incident that claimed so many lives, and yet left a lasting impression, because it gave us the love story of Jack and Rose, (played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet). The most iconic scene would be the moment when Jack asks his lady love to close her eyes and stand on the lower railings, asking “Do you trust me?” The 16-year-old Kate, bound by the superficial values of the aristocratic class she dwells in, closes her eyes and says “Yes,” and suddenly finds herself free, like a bird with wings, while her young lover holds her firmly. The movie taught us that “Love can give you wings” but it can also make your heart go on.
La La Land
The movie is set in the magical town of Los Angeles, where Seb (played by Ryan Gosling) is a pianist who dreams to own a nightclub someday, while Mia (played by Emma Stone) is a struggling actor, wishing to stage her own plays. Since it is a musical, you can expect some really dramatic moments throughout the movie, but the song sequence “what a waste of a lovely night”, with both of them feet tapping and breaking into a tap dance, remains the most fun and memorable part, seconded only by the sequence in an observatory when they both dance their way to the stars. Need more magic?
The Fault in Our Stars
Hazel and Augustus carved a niche in our hearts on print as well as on screen, when we saw their eternal love story take shape despite the uncertainty of a 'tomorow' because of their adverse health conditions, and yet their love became a source of joy to them and others in their lives. Hazel Grace (played by Shailene Woodley) and Augustus Waters, (played by Ansel Elgort) made a 'forever' out of their numbered days, and discovered beauty in each other, despite the terminal diseases they were suffering from. The movie's most memorable moments remain, the instance when both the teenagers discover love and romance with each other and subsequently set store by their world through thick and thin.
SilSila
The movie which brought real-life couples onscreen bombed at the box office but managed to get the status of a ‘cult-classic’ thereafter. It depicts the budding romance between Amit (played by Amitabh) and Chandni, (played by Rekha) and the cruel fate they have to bear when Amit’s elder brother dies in a plane crash and he has to marry his brother’s fiancée Shobha. The movie is mostly remembered for the chemistry between Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha, shot in the characteristic Yash Raj style, with lush gardens in the backdrop and soulful numbers. Incidentally, the most memorable moment of the movie has to be the song Neela Aasman So Gaya, in both its happy and sad versions, which appears when they are falling for each other and recounted again when Amit leaves a lovelorn Chandni to marry Shobha, out of duty.
Jab We Met
For any movie buff, Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met will remain special because of how it dealt with the concept of love. Geet and Aditya meet in a train, en route to Bhatinda from Mumbai. While Aditya is emotionally shattered and lost, Geet is cheerful and plans to marry her boyfriend after college. Soon Aditya finds a reason to smile and let go of the past, while Geet goes her own way. A couple of months later, when they meet, the tables have turned and this time, it is Aditya who rekindles the spark in Geet’s life, and the rest falls into place. There are many magical moments in the entire movie, but the most memorable one would be when Aditya realises that Geet has become indispensable in his life, with the song Tumse hi playing in the background, and another when Geet kisses Aditya, to ward off her unreliable, fairweather boyfriend.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
The movie which gave Bollywood an iconic couple of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol will be remembered as the most romantic movie of all time, by every generation; not because of its melodious songs or the colourful Yash Raj sets; but because this movie was culturally rooted and spoke about love in the Indian context. Simran and Raj both live in London but Simran is supposed to get married and go back to India. She has only one last wish- to go on a trip to Europe before marriage- and ends up falling in love with Raj. While the entire movie is full of funny and emotional moments- the moment when she realises that though she has come back from the trip, she has left her heart somewhere behind and starts missing Raj, is the most memorable one- followed by the song “Ho Gaya Hai Tujhko Toh Pyaar”.
Barfi
The movie stands out in its portrayal of love, whether or not the ideas were a little borrowed from here or there. The love triangle between Shruti, a Calcutta girl, Barfi, a hearing and speech impaired man and Jhilmil, an autistic girl who is Barfi’s childhood friend, left a lasting impression on the audience. Shruti marries the college heartthrob out of parental obligation; although she is in love with Barfi, and regrets it later. Jhilmil on the other hand, realises that she is love with her childhood companion and doesn’t leave his side. There is a particular sequence, where she is watching a Chhau dance performance and consecutively a wedding, when suddenly she has a vision of Barfi dancing, wearing a Topor (part of a male attire worn by Bengali men during a wedding) when she realises that she is in love with Barfi. What follows, is Jhilmil’s emotional journey, as the narrative unfolds, which teaches us a thing or two about love.
