5 Small Town Romantic Hindi Movies That Will Make Your Heart Skip a Beat!

The late 1990s’ and early 2000s’ had many Bollywood films that were larger than life. The families portrayed in such films were from the affluent background or settled in metro cities and foreign countries. But in a stark contrast, there has been a rise of films in recent times with stories set in small towns of India and which are closer to reality.

So, here are 5 small town Bollywood films that are worth watching:

#1 TANU WEDS MANU

Set in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Tanu Weds Manu tops this list of romantic films set in small towns.  In this film, Madhavan who plays the character of Dr. Manoj or Manu comes from London to meet a girl selected by his parents for marriage. On the other hand, the female lead Tanu played by Kangana Ranaut hails from Kanpur. The character of Tanu is shown to be a girl who is way too modern for the city she resides. Hanging around with boys, drinking alcohol & smoking cigarette is very normal for her. Further, this story would have been a clichéd romantic flick. But the presence of a politically inclined small town boyfriend in Tanu’s life and her confused mind creates some interesting conflicts that are fun to watch.

#2 SHAADI MEIN ZAROOR AANA

Even this movie is shot mostly in Lucknow, Allahabad & Kanpur. ‘Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana‘ has a fresh storyline depicting the conflict within the mind of a  girl from a small town where she has to choose between her marriage and career. While on the other hand, the movie shows aspects quite relevant to the males of a small town like handling a career oriented girl, male ego and much more. Well, despite all of these contradictions, it is interesting to see how love blossoms and finally wins. Rajkummar Rao and Kriti Kharbanda have acted exceptionally well as the lead pair in the film.

#3 SHUDH DESI ROMANCE:

The film starring Sushant Singh Rajput, Parineeti Chopra & Vaani Kapoor was set in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Shudh Desi Romance takes a look into the thought process of the younger generation in small towns with regards to relationships and commitment. The rights and wrongs of this generation have been shown in the film in a light-hearted way

#4  RAANJHANAA

Based in Varanasi, Raanjhnaa explores one-sided love that happens quite often in smaller towns and cities. The film tries to uncover and bring the audience closer to reality with regards to childhood love, religious divide and more. The undying love and sometimes the extent to which one goes to get the love back forms the core of the film.

#5  DUM LAGA KE HAISHA:

This romantic comedy film is set in Haridwar and has Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar as the leading couple. The film’s story revolves around a boy from a small town who is an underachiever but has a strong inclination towards a group that gets together for daily exercises and more. This boy gets married to Bhumi, a rather plumpy girl who is a match found by his parents. He feels shy accepting her as his wife because of her weight. On the contrary, the girl is well educated and a forward-thinking person. When she feels ridiculed by her husband, Bhumi’s character takes her husband to court for a divorce. Amidst this chaos, there is an annual couple race that the duo is forced to participate in by their families, which eventually brings them closer. The film highlights the evolution of love beyond the cliched perception of beauty in a small town in India.

Which of these films have you seen and tell us which one from this list is your favorite?