Valentine's Day: Watch these 5 films dealing with unusual romances
Hate honey-dripping, cringy romantic comedies that seem to have their roots stationed more in imagination than reality? Well, we have got your back. Movies across Bollywood and Hollywood have given us offerings (though fewer in number) that deal with real (and twisted) issues, showing us "falling in love" is not a free-fall after all. This Valentine's Day, you can try some such unusual romances.
'Highway'
We begin this journey with a movie on journey, abduction, Stockholm Syndrome, and more. Imtiaz Ali's Highway featured Veera (Alia Bhatt) getting abducted by Mahabir (Randeep Hooda). But through the course of this journey, Veera finds solace and comfort in Mahabir, relishing her time away from her protective parentage. Alongside some heavenly songs, this flick will charm you with the lead stars' acting chops.
'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'
Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a masterclass in cinema. Starring Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey, this 2004 movie captures intense love, an equally intense fallout(s), and an irreversible repercussion. Employing non-linear story-telling and memory erasure in the picture, we get a cynical yet romantic tale that makes us question whether the key to bliss (peace) is indeed hidden in ignorance.
'Cheeni Kum'
Driving back to Bollywood, our next entry is Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu starrer Cheeni Kum. Here, we find a 64-year-old man falling in love with a woman half his age and their struggle to convince their family members about this union. Keeping aside the age-gap issue, this R Balki directorial is beautiful for showing a mature, slow-paced love story between two completely different people.
'Her'
Spike Jonze's Her deals with a lonely man Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) developing affection and, soon, love for his personalized computer operating system, Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). As unusual as it sounds, Jonze's writing and direction give us a deeply plausible and touching tale of dependency, intimacy, and loneliness. Another factor going for this movie is its brilliant cinematography done masterly by Hoyte Van Hoytema.
'The Lunchbox'
To conclude our list, we have the Indian masterpiece, The Lunchbox. Due to a flaw in the otherwise impeccable Mumbai dabba system (lunchbox delivery system), a young housewife (Nimrat Kaur) and an older office worker (Irrfan Khan) develop an unlikely friendship. To make matters more pure or ideal, director Ritesh Batra showcases the correspondence budding up solely through letters. How old-school is that?
