Valentines Day - Most Romantic Scenes 6

So Day 6, or the penultimate day of this Top 14 countdown (2001-2010), can be well marked as the day...

Published: Saturday,Feb 12, 2011 22:40 PM GMT-07:00

Naseem J.

A day apart from the 'Khans' is all Bollywood (and BollyCurry) can manage while recounting its most romantic moments.

So Day 6, or the penultimate day of this Top 14 countdown (2001-2010), can be well marked as the day for return of the Khans!

Here's remembering the couple romantic scenes, from the last and first years of the decade respectively, that make for our lineup today!

#4
Movie: My Name is Khan (2010: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol Devgn)
Scene: Marry Me!

Despite the 'been there, done that' trio of SRK-Kajol-KJo who we thought gave us all they had to offer in their first two outings together, My Name Is Khan surprises one and all by managing to step out of the shadow of 'expected' and 'cliche', to touch quite another level of a love story narrative.

While simultaneously giving viewers a realistic look at the turbulent times post 9/11, the screenplay still stays very much grounded to the genre that Karan Johar knows best, emphasizing the power of a love which is innocent and untouched by the ways of the big bad world.

For Rizvan Khan (SRK), who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, the world is white and black - or good and bad only. He cannot and does not see the grey shades of human nature that prevail all around him. It is therein that many of his words, actions and intentions are formed just like that - as absolute good or bad, without being processed by perspective. When he falls in love with the Hindu single mother Mandira (Kajol), it is only about falling in love with a good woman and having a happy home, irrespective of any societal resistance. When eventually they lose her son to the anti-Muslim heat post 9/11, he still cannot comprehend the kind of human motivation which leads to such hatred. However, he can and fully does understand the value of faith as well as the importance of keeping a promise. So when an utterly broken Mandira tells him, in anguished sarcasm, that the only way he can ever come back into her life and regain her love (after Sam's death) is by telling all the people and the President of the United States that he is a Khan and he is not a terrorist, he takes the words seriously and sets off on the impossible mission - which is ultimately a success.

Of the many heart wrenching and heartwarming moments in this movie, the one we chose as our most romantic is the unique marriage proposal, which is out of the box in many ways. While Rizvan has been pursuing Mandira to marry him in the most simple and plain words and ways - even blatant at that - Mandira, who is amused and endeared in parts, tells him to show her something that she has not previously scene, before expecting a yes. Taking her word seriously, Rizvan puts himself to the task until he finds what he thinks is it. And one fine morning preceding daybreak, he knocks on her door to take her to the sight. Even as Mandira rants about his not having called on her for the past several days and worrying her, he drags her along, albeit all her protests at not being suitably dressed and all that, and half runs her off her feet while scurrying to a point where he shuts up her blabbering and tells her to close her eyes. Moments later he tells her to open them, and the sight of the breaking of dawn and clearing of the mist from over the San Francisco skyline is mesmerizing to her in an unprecedented way. When he asks her if she has seen this before, she replies by asking him to marry her. A proposal that sets off the 'very different' but 'very smart in the head' Rizvan shying, laughing, and hiding his face.

Cute and touching, this scene between SRK and Kajol who remain the most beloved jodi of about two past decades past, manages to be direly romantic while being set apart from the common world romance.

#3
Movie: Dil Chahta Hai (2001: Aamir Khan, Preity Zinta)
Scene: Shalini's engagement

A directorial debut by Farhan Akhtar, Dil Chahta Hai released in the year of turn of the millennium was indeed a sign of changing cinema trends. It bid farewell to unneeded melodrama and slapstick comedy, replacing them with fresh wit, intelligent screenplay and a pace and realism that was bound to find favor with the youngsters of the decade it was set to embark upon.

The plot revolves around three friends (boys) who after graduation are on the threshold of entering the big bad world. The transition becomes interesting to watch given their viewing of the world, life and love in a totally different ways from each other.

The scene we chose as the memorable most romantic is watching the absolute no-no on love Akash going down on one knee to propose Shalini with the same speech he once used to woo her jestingly at the college farewell bash. That too, at her engagement party with Rohit amidst all the guests.

The interesting part of watching this scene is the completion of transition in Akash's character, owing to Shalini's arrival in his life. Initially a guy who'd sooner be happy out of love than miserable in it, he takes all the time in the world to comprehend and accept his change of heart for Shalini, who unfortunately has been long engaged to her childhood family friend Rohit.

While the love that blooms is mutual, both Akash and Shalini under their own set of philosophies and obligations never get to speak their heart candidly to each other. It is only at the brink of nearly losing her to Rohit, that Akash forgoes all inhibitions and sets forth his proposal boldly, and full heartedly, putting everything else at stake!

Despite the inherent melodrama the scene involves, Aamir and Preity do a fantastic job bringing out their characters as real as it gets!

And that leaves us with only the top 2 to go.

We really hope to see all our readers who have followed this series diligently, to try and take a guess at what is likely to be seen in this list on its very last day!

Until then... a brief goodbye!

Authors: Sharmila & Naseem
Graphics: Fatima