1 Mili (1975)
In this underrated 1975 Hrishikesh Mukherji hit, Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan teamed together to play the love-hate couple with a difference. The angry young man of Amitabh makes a fleeting appearance before the zesty, spitfire of Jaya's Mili makes him fall in love with her. Except, Mili suffers from a rare and incurable disorder. What happens next forms the crux of the film, and makes for a touching and emotional watch.
2 Sparsh (1980)
For all his versatility and mastery of the craft of acting, Naseeruddin Shah is not known for his romantic roles. Not that he plays one in Sparsh. A film by the brilliant Sai Paranjpye, it tackles the concept of love as experienced by a blind, insecure loner. Shah is equalled and matched in his oeuvre by the incomparable Shabana Azmi, as his ignored, but patient girlfriend.
3 Socha Na Tha (2005)
It would be a sacrilege to leave an Imtiaz Ali creation out of a list of romantic films. In his debut venture, Imtiaz showed the chops to explore the complicated priorities and confusions of youngsters in love. Abhay Deol and Ayesha Takia played the confused youngsters who fall in love after their parents plan their marriage.
4
Amitabh Bachchan has done the role of the romantic hero before. But Cheeni Kum had him playing a romantic lead 25 years after his smouldering romance in 'Silsila'. In R Balki's first film, Bachchan plays the bitter, grizzly, old man who finds a new lease of life after falling in love with the eternally beautiful Tabu. The sweet awkwardness and sarcasm exuded by Bachchan, playing a 64-year-old man in love, lifted the cute quotient of the film. A soundtrack by southern maestro Ilaiyaraja and the garrulous presence of Zohra Sehgal made 'Cheeni Kum' all the sweeter.
5
A love story that begins on a train and ends on a train, but not DDLJ. Imtiaz Ali turned up with a wonderfully nuanced take on love with his second venture 'Jab We Met'. The rumours of Shahid-Kareena's breakup were rampant on news pages, but their chemistry onscreen sparkled. Kareena walked away with the awards, but Imtiaz's story captured the imagination of lovers in the audience.
6 Cocktail (2012)
Homi Adajania's 'Cocktail' was a refreshing mix of love, friendship, and complicated relationships. Deepika Padukone's performance as the brattish but heartbroken Veronica catapulted her into the big league. Saif Ali Khan and Diana Penty put in solid performances. But it was Imtiaz Ali's stylishly contemporary storyline that made an impact on fans.
7 Tamasha (2015)
2015 concludes with a much-hyped romantic drama directed by Imtiaz Ali, and starring the hottest couple of the year, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. Shot in picturesque Corsica, on the French coast, the film is creating quite a buzz with its peppy songs. Judging by Imtiaz's past records and the chemistry Ranbir and Deepika exude onscreen, this one is sure to make waves on its release.