Bollywood Cliches That Have Been Recycled Way Too Much

By Shriya Simran Pradhan | 1.2k | 26 Nov 2020

Cinema is nothing if not time-worn tropes and stereotypes. While they remain in action because we as an audience love them, there are still some cliches in the Hindi film industry that we need to get rid off not only because they have become hackneyed but also due to their problematic or ridiculous concepts. Have a look at some of the very prominent ones:

Weather That Knows How To Romance

Bollywood movies are so inherently lovey-dovey that even the weather knows how to steam up the scene. Wind that comes out of nowhere to ruffle the actress’ hair, rains that court the main characters’ feelings for each other, hail that provides picturesque sequences of snow fights- you name it, the weather has it.

Rakul Preet Singh & Himansh Kohli in Yaariyan giving us all the feels but no logic

Stalking And Eve-Teasing Is The Definition Of Love

A girl’s no means convince her into saying yes. One of the most problematic tropes ever, one can’t shy away from saying Bollywood played a heavy role in emphasizing that a girl’s consent is a joke. The male either takes it up as a challenge to get the girl or considers she is too shy to say yes. Not only this, modern movies even highlight that the girl herself likes to play hard to get and doesn’t mind if the boy continues with his courtship, which gravely deepens the problem.

She slaps him, but does that stop him? No, not even for years. From Raanjhanaa

Brawny Heroes Who Can’t Button Their Shirts

*Ahem* Tiger Shroff *Ahem*. In a typical Indian action movie, a man can do anything- battle with hundred or something guys, dislodge cars and trucks, disobey the laws of physics cause why not? Ridiculously choreographed fight scenes, add some heavy dialogue-baazi and flying cars, and boom! We have the perfect movie climax. Probably one of the most overused tropes ever, Hindi (as well as South Indian, to be honest) have a deep nexus with toxic masculinity and show that their men are perfect for ripping off countries and planets for the greater good or for their eminent love.

Is it Baaghi? War? Heropanti? Idk man! (P.S.- It's Baaghi 3 )

Career And Love Don’t Work Well Together

A person can not be happy with their career, there is always the missing element of romance. And somehow, that element trumps over one’s job aspirations as well. Career and love never seem to have a healthy balance, the latter usually puts the former in shade.

Bunny ab udna ya dodna nahi chahta From @YehJawaanIHaiDeewani

Homosexuals Being Distortions For Comic Relief

A man having feminine characteristics is downright derogatory in many Bollywood movies, being constantly ridiculed and mocked in many super hit movies. While a few recent films have crossed this bridge and brought out a different and empowering side of homosexuality, this cliche is still widely popular in filmmaking and evidently propagates homophobia.

Not the best example, but it'll do. From Bol Bachchan

The Runagate Bride

Katrina Kaif might be the sole ambassador for this trope. The bride either runs away because she is being forced to marry, or she runs away because - surprise, surprise- she is in love with the main hero. But obviously, she realizes this exactly on the wedding day, because- the movie has got to have a climax where she runs off to the now leaving-forever-to-someplace hero.

Again, which movie is this? Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

The Heroine’s Invisible Role In A Movie

In many movies, in Bollywood as well as across the Indian cinema, the actress's main job is to fulfil the romance element of the movie and that’s it. Some songs shot in a foreign location, some few cheesy dialogues passed, and in the end, she gets kidnapped by the villain and gets saved by her lover, fulfilling the saviour complex as well. Many Bollywood movies revolve around this cliche, and it’s surprising how this still remains so relevant.

Shraddha Kapoor's only job was to look pretty and do a few poorly choreographed action scenes in Baaghi

The Craze Over Women’s Long Hair

I mean, Rahul fell in love with Anjali only when she grew out her hair and started wearing a saree, didn’t he? Long hair has been long associated with a woman’s sanskaars for some reason, and the only time we do see her having a bob cut or shorter hair is to either render her as a tomboy, a ‘career’ woman, or a sick person. And by the way- hair anywhere on a woman’s body except over her head is completely ugly, alright?

I mean- LOOK AT THIS CUTIE. JUST. LOOK. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Toxic Relationships That Are Romanticized

Why not just show them as they are, Bollywood? Be it a person altering their entire personality for someone or out-and-out physical abuse, the film industry has played a key role in normalizing being mistreated while involved in a relationship. What’s even more maddening is abuse is justified by saying a person has had a bad childhood or is going through some tough situation- as that gives them the right ill-treat any other individual.

She slaps him or he slaps her? Doesn't matter, THEY BOTH ARE WRONG AND WRONG FOR EACH OTHER. Kabir Singh

Dancing-Singing Aesthetics That Make No Sense

I remember being about eight and being seriously confused about how Kareena Kapoor was singing in @ChupChupKe. Colour coordinated outfits, snowfall in Swiss still make some sense when you try to assume that the characters are fantasizing some make-believe imagination. But dance sequences, especially during family functions or those on streets, have zero logic with background people dancing perfectly to the rhythm spontaneously. I mean how far can we assume?

Took Rang De Tu Mohe way too seriously in Dilwale

Cliches are what make Bollywood Bollywood. But these tropes should have been ditched long ago since many neoteric concepts too are taking over cinema and hold the potential of providing good entertainment.