Bollywood is famous for its conventional love stories, and most of us are suckers for those, no matter how much we deny it. Similarly, South Indian Cinema also has a lot to offer in terms of romance. Here is a list of South-Indian Romances that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
20 Best Romantic South Indian Movies You Must Watch
1. O Kadhal Kanmani (2015)
O Kadhal Kanmani is a Tamil film that presents a very refreshing and unconventional take on love and relationships. It is a sweet and straightforward story of two like-minded individuals Adi and Tara, who end up falling in love but do not believe in the institution of marriage. They move together in a live-in relationship. However, when Adi decides to move to the US, their outlook towards relationships and marriage starts to change.
2. Minnale (2001)
Minnale, directed by Gautham Menon, remains a cult South-Indian film of all times, even after all these years. Minnale follows the story of Madhavan (Maddy), a rowdy college student who develops a crush on Reena Joseph, who, unfortunately, is already engaged to be married to Rajiv, an Indian engineer settled abroad. To steal her heart, Maddy impersonates Rajiv and forges a close relationship with Reena. Maddy and Reena’s love story takes an unexpected turn when the real Rajiv returns to India.
3. Dia (2020)
The story of this Kannada film focuses on a girl named Dia and her complex love life, which unravels in a way that you could never have predicted. Dia narrates the story of a young, shy girl whose life does a backflip when she falls in love with her college mate, Rohith. But when Rohith dies in a terrible accident, she starts dating Adi only to find out later on that Rohith is still alive.
4. Premam (2015)
Premam, a Malayalam film, revolves around George and his love life. While George’s first two attempts to find the love of his life didn’t turn out to be as expected, he becomes successful when he tries for the third time.
5. Bangalore Days (2015)
This Malayalam film narrates the story of three cousins Divya, Kuttan, and Arjun, their aspirations, and how their personal life transforms when all of them move to Bangalore. Though all of them are very different from one another, the way they support each other makes the film extraordinarily special.
6. 100 Days of Love (2015)
Starring Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menon, this South-Indian rom-com is all about finding love unexpectedly. Balan, post his breakup with his girlfriend, finds the love of his life Sheela on a rainy night. But there comes a twist in the story when Balan discovers that he and Sheela went to the same school as kids.
7. 96 (2018)
96 is a Tamil film that features two childhood sweethearts K. Ramachandran and Janaki, who meet at a school reunion after 22 long years. The film keeps going back to the past to bring the old memories to the surface and invoke a sense of nostalgia.
8. Charlie (2015)
Charlie is not a typical rom-com film. This Malayalam movie narrates the story of Charlie and Tessa. Charlie is a young guy who is into traveling, and his only goal is to bring happiness to the lives of others, whereas Tessa has a different perspective on life. This film explores the relationship of Charlie and Tessa and their relationship with the people around them.
9. Fida (2017)
Fida, a Telugu, South-Indian film, tells the story of Varun and Bhanu and how they end up falling in love. Varun is an NRI boy from the US, whereas Bhanu is an opinionated and strong-willed village girl. This film focuses on the ups and downs of their relationship and how they conquer it with their love for each other.
10. Nila (2016)
Nila is a cute, charming Tamil film about a cab driver who moves to the city to earn a living and one night ends up meeting his childhood sweetheart. They take a trip down memory lane, but the girl is a bit reluctant to let him get too close to her, which makes the climax of this movie very intriguing.
11. Kumbalangi Nights (2019)
This Malayalam film is a delightful tale of family, siblings, relationships, love, and healing. It is the tale of a dysfunctional family of four brothers Saji, Bonie, Bobby, and Frankie. The four brothers forget their differences and hatred for one another to help Bobby attain his dream of marrying Babymol. Their dysfunctional family transforms into a happy family during this process.
12. Annayum Rasoolum (2013)
Considered one of the best Malayalam films, in the movie, Rasool, a taxi driver, and Anna, a salesgirl, fall for each other. Rasool and Anna belong to different religions, and hence their union is opposed by their family members. The story takes a complex turn when Anna’s elder sister tries to persuade Rasool to convert to their religion.
13. Bommarillu (2006)
Bommarillu, a Telugu film, features Siddu, who is the son of a patronizing businessman. Every decision of Siddu’s life is taken by his father, which frustrates him to no end. Complying with his father’s wishes, he half-heartedly agrees to get engaged to the daughter of a rich man but then falls for Hasini, a middle-class girl. The rest of the film focuses on how he finds his individuality after falling in love with Hasini.
14. Tholi Prema (2018)
This Telugu film takes the concept of falling in love at first sight to the next level. Aadi is an outgoing person who falls in love with Varsha when he sees her for the first time on a train. Later, they meet again in an engineering college where both fall in love, but soon Aadi realizes that they are two different personalities. The rest of the story focuses on how they overcome their differences to stay together.
15. Love Mocktail (2020)
Love Mocktail, a Kannada film, begins when the protagonist Adi meets a girl during his journey to Udupi. The film progresses beautifully as Adi narrates stories about his love life to date. From teenage love to college romance, all the way to love in adulthood – this film takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions mixed with a dose of romantic scenes and humor.
16. Vaaranam Aayiram (2008)
Vaaranam Aayiram is a heart-touching Tamil film and tells the story of Surya, an NSG commando, and his relationship with his father and his romantic relationship. This film feels personal and deals with the bond, experiences, adventures, and tragedies a father and son share.
17. Majili (2019)
This Telugu film takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and there is more pain than love. After Anshu leaves Poorna due to family pressure, he gives in to alcoholism and is later forced by his family to marry his neighbor, Sravani. However, he soon develops feelings for Sravani and realizes her unconditional love for him.
18. Salt N’ Pepper (2011)
It’s a sweet Malayalam film about two people and their bonding over food. It all starts when Kalidasan, a foodie, receives a phone call from the wrong number. He discovers that the person at the other end, Maya, is also a big foodie and loves cooking. Soon they grow fond of each other and decide to meet, but what happens next will take you by surprise.
19. Thattathin Marayathu (2012)
It is a Malayalam musical rom-com that portrays a love story that doesn’t believe in communal differences. Vinod, a Hindu boy, falls in love with a Muslim girl Aisha, whom he met at his close friend’s wedding. Although the girl also ends up falling in love with him, the Hindu-Muslim religion barrier soon acts as an impediment in their relationship.
20. Padi Padi Leche Manasu (2018)
Padi Padi Leche Manasu, a Telugu film, portrays the highs and lows of a budding romance. The story revolves around Surya, a rebellious young guy who falls for Vaishali, a medical student but refuses to marry her due to his previous relationship experiences. Vaishali, however, believes in the power of her love and makes a promise to Surya to meet him after exactly one year.
All of these South-Indian movies are not only rooted in the idealistic world of love and imagination but also have a realistic touch to them. HAPPY BINGE WATCHING!!!
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