Bollywood has a long-standing fascination with love that teeters on the edge of obsession, a potent blend of passion and chaos. As the highly anticipated film ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ featuring Dhanush and Kriti Sanon hits the screens, we delve into some of the most memorable portrayals of lovers who went to extreme lengths.
From the gilded romances to the darker, more complex narratives, Hindi cinema has frequently explored characters whose intense affections can spiral into dangerous fixation. These roles often blur the fine line between deep love and emotional unraveling, leaving audiences captivated and unsettled.
Shah Rukh Khan, the original ‘King of Romance’, began his career by embodying characters driven by obsession. His chilling portrayal of Rahul in ‘Darr’ (1993), with the iconic ‘K…K…Kiran’ dialogue, set a benchmark for cinematic obsession. He further cemented this image with intense performances in ‘Baazigar’ (1993) and ‘Anjaam’ (1994), expertly blending charm with palpable menace.
Shahid Kapoor’s ‘Kabir Singh’ remains a landmark, albeit divisive, depiction of obsessive love. Kapoor embodied a self-destructive surgeon whose life implodes due to his volatile temper and impulsive actions. The film depicted love as an all-consuming, destructive force, with Kapoor’s raw intensity making the performance both compelling and controversial.
Ajay Devgn delivered a quietly terrifying performance in ‘Deewangee’ (2002). As a musician whose psyche oscillates between vulnerability and menace, Devgn’s understated approach to obsession, relying on silence and sudden shifts in demeanor, created a deeply unsettling and unpredictable character.
Ranveer Singh has showcased passion at its extremes. While ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’ displayed intense love, it was his role in ‘Padmaavat’ that truly defined him as a symbol of unrestrained desire, a character driven by a hunger for control as much as affection.
Dhanush, in ‘Raanjhanaa’, offered a deeply human and flawed portrayal of obsessive young love. His character, Kundan, navigated a turbulent emotional landscape, oscillating between sincerity, desperation, and sheer chaos. He is set to revisit such intense emotions in the upcoming ‘Tere Ishk Mein’.