9 rom-coms from 2024 that are sweeter than ras malai
Let the day dreaming begin
It’s beginning to look a lot like… you know what. That magical time of year when everything feels possible. Accidentally bumping into your soulmate while grabbing hot chocolate? Absolutely. Having your crush serenade you with Ishq Hai from Mismatched Season 3 outside your window while padoswale Sharmaji and Rinki aunty from the fifth floor clap in support? Why not? Christmas through New Year’s just hits differently. Your rose-tinted glasses are functioning at full capacity and all you want to do is bask in the glorious delusion… err, vision, of a romantic happily ever after.
We all know the dating pool feels more like a muddy puddle these days, so the odds of those meet-cute fantasies coming true are slim to none. But that doesn’t mean you can’t live a little vicariously. Never underestimate the power of a good romantic comedy, whether it’s films, TV shows or books (Tweak Book Club members recommended their favourite romantic reads). Nothing beats the genre for keeping hope alive and letting you experience love through heart-eyed characters. And 2024 was hands-down the year of rom-coms—the triumphant return of green-flag male leads (Adam Brody, we mean you), swoon-worthy romances, grand gestures, and the kind of love stories we thought were left behind in the early 2000s.
We’ve rounded up 9 of 2024’s best rom-com movies for your holiday binge. So put on the lovey-dovey glasses, get swept off your feet (and onto the couch) and get streaming.
9 best rom-coms of 2024 to stream right now
Players
If you love an underdog character emerging as the central love interest who sweeps the protagonist off her feet, Players has plenty for you to sink your teeth into. Mack is a sports journalist in her 30s, living in New York City. She with her friends Adam, Brannagan and Little, hatch elaborate matchmaking schemes known as ‘plays’ to match each other with potential partners. When Mack becomes infatuated with Nick, a charming war correspondent and casual fling, she devises various ‘plays’ to win him over, only to realise her true feelings might lie elsewhere. As an unlikely match emerges from the shadows, Mack has to figure out what she wants and who lights up her world.
Honeymoonish
This Kuwaiti romantic comedy is a blend of the ‘enemies-to-lovers’ and ‘finding love after marriage’ tropes, with all the attendant, thrilling chaos. Hamad, a wealthy tycoon’s son, and Noor, a fitness instructor, marry for ulterior motives—Hamad to secure his inheritance, and Noor to make her ex Youssef jealous by marrying and honeymooning in Lebanon (where Youssef is also on vacation). But Hamad and Noor soon confront each other’s starkly different personalities among emotional and cultural complications. Will these opposites attract and land up having an actual honeymoon? You’ll have to watch and find out.
Upgraded
If you’ve ever dreamt of a meet-cute on a flight, you can live vicariously through protagonist Ana, an art auction intern, who indeed has one in this formulaic but lighthearted rom-com. On a work trip to London, Ana is bumped up to Business Class from Economy where she meets William, a handsome wealthy man. Thinking she’ll probably never see him again, Ana decides to role-play and pretends to be the director of her art gallery. But as fate would have it, Ana and William spark a romance in London. As their bond grows, Ana’s lies spiral and her professional and personal life overlap, threatening to ruin her romance and her career.
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
Romeo
This Tamil rom-com echoes complete Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi vibes. Arivu meets Leela at her grandfather’s funeral and develops feelings for her. Leela is an aspiring actress hiding her dreams from her strict father. After their arranged marriage helps her move to Chennai, Leela plans a divorce, pushing a heartbroken Arivu to adopt the pseudonym Vikram to stay connected with her. Meanwhile as Arivu, he supports Leela’s aspirations and even agrees to produce her film Romeo on the condition that he play the lead role. The only question that remains to be answered by the end of the film: will they have a real-life romantic crossover?
Do Aur Do Pyaar
The second-chance romance arc takes a comedic turn in this Hindi rom-com starring Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi. Kavya, a dentist, and Anirudh, an industrialist, have been married for 12 years but have drifted apart, both having long-term affairs. Kavya is with Vikram, a photographer, and Anirudh with Nora, a struggling theatre actress. After Kavya’s grandfather’s funeral in Ooty, the couple rekindles their romance, ignoring their affairs and becoming intimate again. Now Kavya and Anirudh have to decide whether to rekindle their marriage or continue with their respective secret lovers, letting go of the possibility of a renewed romance together.
Love, Divided
Who knew noise pollution and being separated by a wall could be foreplay for your next romantic relationship? In this charming Spanish rom-com, Valentina, a pianist, moves into a new apartment to start fresh after a messy breakup. Her plans to prepare for an important audition hit a snag when she clashes with David, her reclusive neighbour and a game inventor who needs complete silence to work. What begins as a hilarious decibel battle turns into an unexpected connection as they bond through the thin wall separating their apartments—without ever meeting face-to-face.
That Kind of Love
In this Filipino rom-com, love turns the tables on Mila, a love coach who helps others meet their romantic matches. The story follows Mila as she agrees to help a self-absorbed corporate executive Adam find his perfect match. Their professional arrangement takes an unexpected turn when they start falling for each other. Set against breathtaking locations in South Korea, That Kind of Love balances the comedy with heartwarming emotional depth as Mila and Adam banter their way to a strong bond of love.
Five Blind Dates
If astrology, tarot and fortune telling intrigues you, this rom-com would be right up your alley. At her sister’s wedding, a fortune teller predicts that Lia, a tea shop owner from Sydney, will meet her soulmate through the next five dates she goes on, who’ll also help save her failing business. To secure a date for her sister’s wedding, Lia lets her family set her up on blind dates. Tensions arise when Richard, Lia’s childhood friend and ex reappears in her life. As Lia meets these different men, they help her recognise what she’s actually looking for in a partner. It’s up to Lia to see which man is her ideal suitor for a flourishing romantic and professional future.
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video
Anora
Anora will take you straight to the universe of Julia Roberts-starrer Pretty Woman. The film that’s been predicted to be the front runner for the 2025 Oscars Best Picture category revolves around a Brooklyn-based sex worker Anora or Ani who impulsively marries Vanya Zakharov, the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, after a week of wild partying in Las Vegas. What starts as a whirlwind romance quickly unravels when Vanya’s family begin their efforts to annul the marriage. As Vanya flees, Anora is left to navigate a chaotic night in Brooklyn searching for her husband, torn between whether to annul the marriage or fight for her love.
