Bollywood has been showering us with nostalgic re-releases one after the other and the audience is embracing them with open arms.
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Amidst all the new releases, it’s the re-releases that continue to be loved and appreciated.
Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal was recently re-released in theatres, and audiences eagerly returned to the world of Jai and Meera.
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But why is it that viewers are choosing to revisit these films, easily available on OTT platforms, in the theatre?
The answer is simple- they are relatable.
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Rom-coms like Love Aaj Kal, Sanam Teri Kasam, and Kal Ho Naa Ho draw the audience into the narrative and make them feel with the characters.
In Love Aaj Kal, Deepika Padukone made emotional devastation in the rain look cathartic. Mawra Hocane turned a selfie into a fun dance number. And when Shah Rukh Khan read a blank diary in Kal Ho Naa Ho, we all shed a tear.
Nostalgia works because these films captured youthful relationships, not just romantic, but familial too, in a way that felt real and emotionally grounded.
And even when the stories weren’t directly relatable, they were convincing enough to pull the audience into their world.
This is exactly what recent rom-coms seem to lack. Tropes are recycled, dialogues feel pretentious, and the actors often look out of place.
Their stories lack conviction, and the narratives feel painfully forced.
Today’s youth are trying to hold on to anything they can relate to, but most new films offer little substance.
Whether you’re Gen Z or a millennial, the language of love remains the same. The setting might evolve, but the core emotions do not.
That’s what sets these nostalgic re-releases apart from today’s rom-coms. Until Bollywood finds a way to tell stories with sincerity and emotional depth, the re-releases will continue to rule the hearts of audiences.
Until then, theatres will have to re-release films because nostalgia is hitting better than new experiences.
