Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein Returns to Theaters on August :‘Relive the romance’
Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein Returns to Theaters on August 30:‘Relive the romance’
R Madhavan, Dia Mirza and Saif Ali Khan’s Rehna Hai Terre Dil Mein is re-releasing in the theatres on August 30.
In Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (RHTDM), R Madhavan’s character Maddy’s intimidating line, “Paanch din, main tera kuch bhi kar sakta tha, aur tum mana nahin karti,” might have seemed passionate in 2001. However, in 2024, such behavior, which includes stalking, impersonation, and aggression, is recognized as toxic masculinity rather than romantic devotion.
In 2001, when RHTDM released in the theatres, many might have admired Maddy’s supposed magnanimity and passion for his love, thinking, ‘Oh, he loves her so much; he is so passionate about his love, he should go get her.’
The film, directed by Gautham Menon and a remake of the Tamil film Minnale, reflects problematic tropes prevalent in Bollywood at the time—where stalking and deception were often romanticized. The narrative, where a man falls in love at first sight, stalks the woman, and deceives her, has not aged well, given current sensitivities around such issues.
Dia Mirza, who played Reena, expressed in a 2023 interview that she would question and seek changes to such a film if offered today. This reflects a broader shift towards recognizing and rejecting toxic portrayals of romance in cinema.
Despite RHTDM’s nostalgic value, its problematic elements suggest that it should remain a relic of the past rather than a modern cinematic experience. Films like Kabir Singh, which similarly glorify abusive behavior, show that problematic narratives can still succeed, but this shouldn’t validate them. Instead, a re-release of RHTDM would benefit from an updated narrative that rejects its harmful tropes, offering a more progressive view of relationships.
