From Badhaai Do to Axone: This Valentine's day watch brave love stories that challenge conventions

From dancing in the rain and running around trees to exploring real issues concerning identity; the portrayal of love has evolved over the years in cinema. Stories of love have become more implicit, inclusive and braver as they strive to break stereotypes. Here are five such unusual and bold love stories you can watch this Valentine's Day.

 Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz 

The 2018 romantic drama, 'Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz ' produced by Yoodlee Films, is a simple story with outstanding performances. Director Onir goes into uncharted terrain, deviating from skin-deep love stories to give us a leukodermic heroine, who through a phone call gone wrong, establishes a relationship with an RJ with a disturbed past. Unaware of their real identities, they fall for each other through poetic conversations and quirky messages. The movie shows how love can be authentic even in times of social media optics. Starring Geetanjali Thapa and Zain Khan Durrani, this film is available on Amazon Prime. 

Badhaai Do 

This comedy-drama is the first Hindi movie to explore the concept of a lavender marriage or a gay-lesbian marriage. The Harshavardhan Kulkarni directorial, released in 2022 makes a bold attempt to normalise LGBTQ+ love without resorting to any stereotypical portrayals. A gay policeman and a lesbian physical education teacher enter wedlock under societal pressure. While portraying themselves as the 'perfect couple', they seek and find their joy with their actual soulmates. The spiritual successor to the 2018 film, 'Badhaai Ho', 'Badhaai Do' is produced by Junglee Pictures and stars Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar in lead roles and is available on Netflix. 

Axone

This 2019 Yoodle production directed by Nicholas Kharkongor is a slice-of-the-life drama depicting the travails of North-Eastern migrants in Delhi. The film captures a day in the life of three friends, and the problems and discrimination they face when they decide to make 'Axone', a delicacy for their friend's wedding. The film also shows the relationship dynamics between three couples and how they navigate everyday challenges like racism and misogyny as also interpersonal issues. This is not love seen through rose-tinted glasses but experienced in unvarnished real life. The movie, available on Netflix stars Sayani Gupta, Lin Laishram, and Tenzing Dalha.

 Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan 

 The 2020 romantic comedy, 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan' directed by Hitesh Kewalya explores the complicated love between a gay couple. Offbeat movies have always been Ayushmann Khurrana 's forte and this time too, he gets into the skin of his character with ease, along with co-star Jitendra Kumar. The film deals with a sensitive subject in a non-preachy, comedic way and focuses on homophobia, rather than homosexuality. The film shows how widespread homophobia is even among well-educated people. Jointly produced by Anand L Rai, Himanshu Sharma, Bhushan Kumar, and Krishan Kumar, 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan' can be watched on Amazon Prime.

 Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui

 Actor Ayushmann Khurrana has yet again pushed boundaries to act in this 2021, gender-sensitive film, portraying the imperfect, insecure, and confused man, whose ego gets a jolt at a shocking revelation concerning his girlfriend. An Abhishek Kapoor directorial, 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui', is about a romance between a bodybuilder and a Zumba instructor that sails smoothly until it is revealed that the latter is a transwoman. The film has succeeded in portraying the way cultural conditioning and societal ignorance impact lives. Jointly produced by Bhushan Kumar, Pragya Kapoor, Krishan Kumar and Abhishek Nayyar, 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' has Vaani Kapoor as the female lead and can be watched on Netflix.

Which one are you going to watch today?