Is Rom-Com Triangles Getting Formulaic Now?

Time and again, romantic triangles have been box-office fodder. And ditto rom-coms. When these two genres are blended, we have the rom-com triangles: Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978) and its reboot in 2019, Hungama (2003), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Dostana (2008), Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017), Mere Husband Ki Biwi (2025) and so on.

With the exception of the 1978 laugh-riot and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi helmed by three big stars—Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra Jonas— none of the films above have done super-hit business, so it is with some skepticism that I realize that three more films in this genre are due in just six more weeks from mid-May to June! Will that be a rom-com overdrive, given today’s scenario and multiplex rates?

The chronological first will be Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, sequel to the 2019 reboot but only in spirit, once again directed by Mudassar Aziz. The film releases on May 15 among reportedly three more releases of a lesser import. And it is a romantic quadrangle, not triangle!

Advantages: 

1. The brand—even the 2019 film was a success.
2. Ayushmann Khurrana, associated with good movies overall, and being seen now after the horror comedy, Thamma, which did average business, has his own draw, especially in comedies.
3. Wamiqa Gabbi fresh from the success of Bhooth Bangla and dependable nymphets Rakul Preet Singh and Sara Ali Khan (whose father Saif Ali Khan’s thriller, Kartavya, is interestingly slated to release the same day).          
4. First off-the-grid in this combined genre.

Hai Jawani To Ishq Hona Hai will see Varun Dhawan in a comic story again, with Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hedge as co-stars.

Advantages:

1. David Dhawan, a past master at rom-coms and comedies, as director.
2. His track-record with his son Varun (Main Tera Hero, Judwaa 2, if one overlooks the overcooked reboot of Coolie No. 1 released on OTT in 2020.
3. Tips Films as producers, known for promoting their films well. With the senior Dhawan alone, they have done Coolie No. 1 (1995) and Hero No. 1 (1997).
4. A June 5 release against a film that is sans family appeal (Anurag Kashyap’s Bandar) and Varun’s being appreciated in the recent Border 2 after a bad phase.

The third film will release on June 19 and is status-wise in the urban comedy genre. It is Cocktail 2 with Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna.

Advantages:

1. A Maddock Films production and a sequel in spirit to their 2012 hit, Cocktail.
2. Producer Dinesh Vijan’s near-foolproof track-record.
3. Pritam’s return to Vijan after years and scores like Love Aaj Kal, Cocktail and Agent Vinod: in short, expected great music.
4. Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna together (both among the hotter propositions today) and that too with Kartik Aaryan.

And if all of them do well, what will the herd-mentality industry do? Well, there will be a flood in this genre. 

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