HIGHLY-RATED films about unrequited love? (Please read description!)

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if there are any really highly-rated films about one-sided, unrequited love with a sad ending where the man doesn't have his romantic feelings reciprocated by the woman? It could be a film from any cinema around the world!

I personally love Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, but I know that the film isn't well received by viewers.

From Hollywood, I recently watched two films that were said to be on unrequited love and are highly-rated: Charlie Chaplin's Citylights (1930s) and another film called Taxi Driver (1976). However, I didn't see any unrequited love in Citylights, and Taxi Driver just had glimpses of it, not throughout the film.

To avoid a ton of spoilers, you don't have to go into detail about the man's love not being reciprocated at the end, but if you could provide me the names of such films, that would be great! Thanks.

Also, please avoid saying Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na as I haven't seen it yet despite being a huge SRK fan, and I think I MAY know what the ending is, but not 100% sure 😂

The only one that comes to mind (apart from ADHM) is Ek Main aur Ek Tu with Imran / Kareena - it was definitely highly rated if not successful at the BO. EKAET isn't strictly about unrequited love either (SPOILER - greying it out)- it's more of Imran's coming-of-age and struggle with telling his parents he wants to live his life his own way, and the unrequited love part is just at the end when Bebo tells Imran that she doesn't feel the same way towards him etc.. so yeah basically the last 15 mins of the movie is the unrequited love part but otherwise Imran and Bebo's banter makes up most of the movie for sure.

Coming to think of it, even Alia-Fawad's track in Kapoor and Sons was similar in that Alia was def interested in Fawad, but again not the main focus of the film.

Originally posted by: lovemango

The only one that comes to mind (apart from ADHM) is Ek Main aur Ek Tu with Imran / Kareena - it was definitely highly rated if not successful at the BO. EKAET isn't strictly about unrequited love either (SPOILER - greying it out)- it's more of Imran's coming-of-age and struggle with telling his parents he wants to live his life his own way, and the unrequited love part is just at the end when Bebo tells Imran that she doesn't feel the same way towards him etc.. so yeah basically the last 15 mins of the movie is the unrequited love part but otherwise Imran and Bebo's banter makes up most of the movie for sure.

Coming to think of it, even Alia-Fawad's track in Kapoor and Sons was similar in that Alia was def interested in Fawad, but again not the main focus of the film.

Thanks for your reply!

Yes, I have seen EMAET so don't worry about hiding the spoiler 😂 and yes, agreed the film did show unrequited love as you mentioned! But, with that said, is the film really highly-rated? The IMDB score for the film is 5.7/10 😕

And yes, Kapoor and Sons track is another example!

500 Days Of Summer (2009)

My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)

Letter From an Unknown Woman (1948)

Cyrano De Bergerac (1950) & (1990)

@Maroon Yes, SRK's character in Darr is a great example of this!

@Talis Thanks for all of the suggestions! But isn't My Best Friend's Wedding based on a woman's one-sided love?

Originally posted by: srkat

@Maroon Yes, SRK's character in Darr is a great example of this!

@Talis Thanks for all of the suggestions! But isn't My Best Friend's Wedding based on a woman's one-sided love?

Yes. So Is A Letter By An Unknown Woman. Sorry, didn't see you only wanted man's one sided love.

If Darr can be an example of unrequited love, so can be Padmaavat! 😆

I can't believe I still haven't watch Charlie Chaplin's City Lights. I heard so much about it. Thanks for reminding me again.

I know Saawariya was trashed critically and at the box office but I liked it.

I don't know if Cocktail is considered highly rated but that had unrequited love that remained unrequited.

Technically Barfi is also a story of unrequited love because Ileana is telling the tale of how her love wasn't fulfilled.

@talis That's okay! Thanks for clarifying 😁

@cutejodikangal Yes, Padmaavat counts as well! 😊

@Rhimjhimsawan I liked City Lights! For a nearly 100 year old film, its shocking to see that it can still be watched today!

I liked Saawariya as well!

Yes, Cocktail had unrequited love! I liked the film, and I think the general public perception is that it's a decent film.

I honestly don't remember much about Ileana's story in Barfi, but yeah true as I do know that Ranbir and Priyanka are together at the end!

If you don’t dislike retro BW then Muqaddar Ka Siqandar

An old movie called Jailer (1958 & 1938)

Lot of 60s & 70s movies have love triangle with one gal & two guys