Saiyaara, Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat prove 2025 belongs to romance in Bollywood; can Tere Ishk Mein end it with a bang?

The unexpected box office success of Saiyaara and Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat has given the Hindi film industry renewed hope for the romantic drama genre.

The eulogies for romances in Bollywood had been written extensively after the pandemic. All of a sudden, mass seemed to be the way to go for every actor and producer, with action films looking like the only certain way of drawing audiences. When even actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Manoj Bajpayee turned to mass action, it rang alarm bells in the industry for the lovers of good ol’ romance. Sure, films like Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani kept the genre afloat, but it was 2025 that truly revived it in Hindi cinema.

Dhanush and Kriti Sanon star in Aanand L Rai's Tere Ishk Mein.

Intense romance finds success again

Saiyaara came like a breath of fresh air – a romantic drama with young actors that broke decades-old box office records without anybody expecting it to. A couple of other romantic dramas did fairly well without setting the cash registers ringing. But then Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat again surprised the trade pundits with its ₹100-crore (and counting) run. The message is clear – give the audience a decent romance, and they will come to the theatres. The stage is now set for another film in this genre to close off the year on a bang and prove that romance is here to stay.

Can Tere Ishk Mein replicate the success?

The final two months of 2025 see films of diverse genres hitting the screen. They range from war dramas like Ikkis and 120 Bahadur to rom coms such as De De Pyaar De 2 and Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri. And then there is a tentpole like Dhurandhar. Amid all this, Aanand L Rai’s Tere Ishk Mein has the best chance of replicating the success of Saiyaara and Deewaniyat, due to a combination of placement and opportunity.

The film, starring Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, sits comfortably in the young, passionate romance genre that has seen hits like Aashiqui and Rai’s own Raanjhana in the past. Given Saiyaara and Deewaniyat’s success, industry insiders are betting on Tere Ishk Mein to keep the flag flying high. An advantage for the film is AR Rahman’s score, which could help it reach out to the masses.

Trade expert Taran Adarsh says, “After Saiyaara and Deewane Ki Deewaniyat turned youthful passion into a box office triumph, the stage is now ready for Tere Ishk Mein, the next big love saga audiences are waiting for with bated breath. Infused with the soul-stirring magic of AR Rahman’s music, the film promises to do good business at the box office. With the nation already swept up in a wave of romance and the Tere Ishk Mein storm gathering momentum, one thing’s certain: 2025 belongs to love stories.”

Most industry insiders are hopeful of the film’s chances at the box office and say its success could encourage more makers to bet on this genre, which has a hold over a sizable audience. “Neither Saiyaara, nor Deewaniyat were great films. But they were simple and honest enough to strike a chord with the audience. That’s the only thing romances need in today’s times. Bollywood was built on that, and it’s high time our films go back to it. Tere Ishk Mein has Aanand L Rai’s signature on top of everything, which should help it,” says an exhibitor.

The road ahead

Backed by T-Series and Colour Yellow Productions, Tere Ishk Mein is releasing in theatres on 28 November. Its music is already slowly and steadily generating buzz. Two weeks after this, another romance drama – Mere Raho, starring Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi – is scheduled for release. Both films will hope that the momentum and goodwill created by Saiyaara and Deewaniyat’s success works in their favour.