Once upon a time, a girl and a guy locked eyes, they fell in love and lived happily ever after. Even with the odds against them, everything works out in the end. That is what every romantic comedy (rom-com) wants you to believe. But is life that simple?
Dating application QuackQuack recently surveyed 20,000 users from tier-1 and tier-2 cities to assess the effect rom-coms have on people's dating lives. Sources state that the results showed that 57 percent of people expressed that while they love watching romantic comedies, it has provoked a sense of dissatisfaction in their dating life every time they see such films. 43 percent said that rom-coms don't affect them because, at the end of the day, movies are the products of imagination, and everything necessarily doesn't have to be inspired by factual events.
Founder and CEO of QuackQuack, Ravi Mittal, was quoted as saying on the topic, “We have noticed one consistent topic of discussion among our 18 million followers, and that is on films. As per our observation, around 34 per cent of the users choose rom-coms as their first movie date (sic).”
From a woman's point of view
When the dating app spoke to its female users, they had a few interesting points to share. 19 per cent of the women, most aged between 25 to 30, voiced that one beautiful lesson that most rom-coms have is that you need to work on yourself before you have a successful relationship. Self-care, and self-love, are given much importance in that genre of movies. It is a message many people fail to comprehend while focusing only on the parts that shows a fairy-tale romance.
Men or Women, who's the target?
The App asked its users whether rom-coms have more influence on men or women. Responses showed that 21 percent of people from tiers 1 and 2 cities believe rom-coms are predominantly marketed for women and tend to have more impact on women than men. The survey participants from cities like Delhi and Hyderabad commented that rom-coms would have you believe that the problems in a woman's life often revolve around her romantic endeavours. It pushes people to assume that the chief goal in a woman's life is to look for a man.
Pro outweigh the cons
On a lighter note, 29 per cent of daters above 30 said that rom-coms' happy vibe fills the brain with oxytocin and serotonin, the feel-good hormones. They proceeded to remark that watching a romantic comedy with your partner can help one understand what their significant other expects from them. Maybe they point out to the protagonist and say something good about their character. 23 percent of women in the study revealed that they love to watch romantic comedies on the weekends with their partners as it incites a feeling of emotional warmth and comfort.
Escape from Reality
Who doesn't need to escape reality from time to time? According to the survey, 13 percent of the single users aged between 21 and 28 revealed that they love watching romantic comedies. They admitted using it to escape reality and dive into these stories of tender romance and humour. The hearty and happy ending of a rom-com gives them a feeling of hope for their own love life.