10 new rom-coms to watch instead of texting your ex
Put on your rose-tinted glasses and feel the romance
Romantic comedies are the gajar halwa of cinema genres. They make you feel warm and happy and leave a sweet aftertaste. And if your romantic reality is less than cinematic—whether it’s listless right-swiping or the disappointment of being left on read yet again—they also give you hope that you could have your own celluloid-worthy love story. That’s because rom-coms, especially the good ones, play by rules in a way that real life rarely does. Enemies throwing insults before throwing themselves at each other? It’s a given. Exes realising they made a mistake and that they want each other back, at the exact same time? Classic. And don’t even get us started on the pretend-relationship—nothing says ‘meant to be’ like faking love and then catching actual feelings.
If you need an escape from the nauseating display of other people’s true love so you can dream of your own Happily Ever After (which will definitely not be nauseating because it’s yours), you could go for the classics, of course. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days will never let you down. But if you need a more current fix, with the age-old tropes dressed in fresh new storylines, we’ve got just the roundup for you. And who knows, maybe your soulmate will see this list too and what will follow is a one-of-a-kind love story. Or…you’ll just have a nice afternoon. Either way, win-win.
10 swoon-worthy rom-coms to add to your watchlist next
How to Date Billy Walsh (2024)
Trope: Friends to lovers
When you fall for your best friend, there are three things you can do next—confess, keep it to yourself or third, sabotage their budding romance with someone else. How to Date Billy Walsh is a British teen rom-com that follows Archie who is secretly in love with his best friend Amelia. Just as he’s ready to confess, charming American transfer student Billy Walsh sweeps Amelia off her feet. When Amelia hears Archie’s parents tell her widowed father about the ‘love doctor,’ a relationship advisor who saved their marriage, she begs Archie for the number, hoping for help with her crush on Billy. Desperate to derail Amelia and Billy’s romance, Archie poses as the love doctor and gives Amelia bad advice to sabotage her attempts at wooing Billy. But his plan backfires.
As Amelia and Billy start a relationship and grow closer, Archie pulls away, finally accepting that his feelings might not be reciprocated. Is that the end—has Archie lost his chance with Amelia, or is there a romantic twist waiting in the wings? Sprinkled with equal parts cute teenage romance and drama, the film is a balm for anyone grappling with complicated feelings for their bestie and wishing to live out their own friends-to-lovers trope.
Watch this film on Amazon Prime Video
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (2024)
Trope: Enemies to lovers
Bickering and arguing are underrated forms of foreplay, as proven time and again by enemies who turn lovers. Nothing can set off sparks between two people more than when they vex each other. TV series Maxton Hall: The World Between Us takes viewers right into the middle of a feud between the protagonists at an elite school. Based on German writer Mona Kasten’s novel Save Me, it follows Ruby Bell, a scholarship student at the elite Maxton Hall school, who dreams of going to Oxford and prefers to keep her head buried deep in her books.
Her life changes when she witnesses a secret affair between a professor at the school and Lydia Beaufort, sister of James Beaufort, a wealthy heir to one of England’s richest business families. Afraid Ruby’s going to tattle on her affair, Lydia seeks help from James to stop her. Determined to protect his sister, James clashes with Ruby, but their rivalry soon sparks unexpected chemistry. How the couple navigate their intense feelings while balancing family pressures and social divides will have your eyes glued to the screen and your fingers hitting the ‘next episode’ button in anticipation.
Watch the TV series on Amazon Prime Video
Ek Farzi Love Story (2025)
Trope: Pretend romance to real love
Just like the North Star always points north, fake dating always leads to real romance. Ek Farzi Love Story follows Kritika, an ambitious content creator, and Manav, a chartered accountant who despises social media. Their fiery clash at a creator event in Chandigarh sparks a viral moment, leading them to fake a relationship for online fame.
But as playful banter turns into genuine friendship and real feelings, their façade hangs precariously—especially when a stalker threatens to expose them. Will their fake relationship be able to survive the pressure and turn into something real? For those who love a good ‘will-they-won’t-they,’ this series delivers all the right dramatic high points.
Stream the TV series on Amazon Mini TV
Aay (2024)
Trope: Forbidden love
If you’re the kind of romantic who loves an impossible love story—Romeo-Juliet, Heer-Ranjha, Cleopatra-Mark Antony—Aay is for you. Set in post-COVID Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh, this Telugu film follows Karthik, a Hyderabad-based software engineer who returns to his village and falls for Pallavi, a college student and the daughter of a powerful politician. Though she initially reciprocates his feelings, caste divides and fear of her father’s wrath push her into an arranged marriage.
A comedy of errors ensues as Karthik’s friends try to unite the couple. But can Karthik and Pallavi defy the odds for their happily ever after, or will they become another tale of star-crossed lovers? With a blend of lightness and sensitivity, Aay explores caste dynamics that are so deeply rooted in our society and the power of love to transcend barriers.
My Lady Jane (2024)
Trope: Marriage of convenience
Imagine Bridgerton meets The Tudors with a touch of fantasy—My Lady Jane reimagines the story of Lady Jane Grey, who was England’s queen for nine days in the 16th century. Based on Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton and Cynthia Hand’s The Lady Janies series, in this version of 16th-century England, bookish and headstrong Jane is married off to the charming yet roguish Lord Guildford Dudley, to secure the Protestant line and her mother’s ambitions. Though they start off at odds, their marriage blossoms into a deep friendship and fiery romance. But Guildford harbours a secret that could change everything. At the same time, Jane is unexpectedly named heir to the English throne by her cousin, the dying King Edward.
As Jane is thrust into a battle for the throne, she must fight to protect both her husband and her own fate in a plot packed with more twists than a season of Grey’s Anatomy. Especially look out for Guildford’s smouldering glances, they’re bound to turn your insides to mush.
Watch this TV series on Amazon Prime Video
The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (2024)
Trope: Age-gap romance
Schools have always been a hotbed for romance—whether it’s students holding hands in the back row or teachers sparking corridor gossip (who didn’t pair up the PT sir with the English teacher?). And the hallways of this private school in The Midnight Romance in Hagwon are no different. Set in Seoul, this K-drama follows Seo Hye-Jin, a seasoned instructor at a prestigious hagwon (private school), whose life takes an unexpected turn when her former student, Lee Jun-ho, returns a decade later as a rookie teacher.
Though Hye-Jin tries to avoid her feelings at first, resisting the charming Jun-Ho becomes nearly impossible as they spend more time in each other’s vicinity. As sparks fly, their growing romance is tested by the intense work environment and their age gap. If you’ve ever had a secret little crush on a teacher (we’ve all been there), you can let your imagination run wild while watching Hye-Jin and Jun-Ho light the screen on fire with their passion and romance.
Watch the TV series on Apple TV
She Taught Love (2024)
Trope: Soulmates
There are two types of people in the world—those who believe we choose our partners and those who believe in soulmates. If you’re the latter and believe in fated romance, She Taught Love will reinforce your faith. Frank Cooper, a former TV star, is lost in a haze of drugs and self-destruction after his show ends. His life takes a turn when he meets Mali Waters, a vibrant sports agent facing a cancer diagnosis.
Their instant and profound connection feels serendipitous as it pushes Frank to confront his demons while Mali learns to embrace vulnerability. As their romance deepens, she teaches him to live in the moment, while he offers unwavering love and support through her illness. A poignant tale of love, loss and grief, this one will have you pulling out all the tissue boxes and leave you with an important lesson—meaningful connections can bring joy and therefore love is always worth a chance.
Stream this movie on Disney + Hotstar
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
Trope: Dark romance
If you love a side of thrill with your rom-coms, in the way of violence, crime, and plotlines that thrum with moral tension, you’ll enjoy Love Lies Bleeding. An electric queer romance set in 1989, it tells the story of gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) who falls for Jackie, a bodybuilder who is en route to Vegas to chase her professional dreams. Their passion spirals into sex, steroids, and violence, enmeshing them with Lou’s crime-ridden family, led by her ruthless gangster father.
As addiction, family secrets and a shocking murder push them to the edge, Lou and Jackie must decide how far they’ll go for love. Love Lies Bleeding is a brutal, surreal thriller that shatters the typical queer romance trope where the protagonists’ queerness is the central conflict. But be fairly warned, this movie isn’t for the faint-hearted so only watch if you can handle the gore.
Stream the movie on Amazon Prime Video
I Am The Secret In Your Heart (2024)
Trope: Love Triangle
The love triangle trope can get your heart racing; who will the protagonist finally pick, and whose heart will be shattered into a million pieces (besides yours, the viewer’s)? This Taiwanese film dives into the classic conflict with Wang, Yuzu, and Cheng—three high schoolers caught in a web of love and longing. Yuzu realises he has feelings for his girl best friend Wang when Cheng, a charming transfer student arrives at the school and catches her fancy.
When Wang performs with Yuzu at the school music festival, Cheng feels abandoned and rejected. Meanwhile, Yuzu confesses his love to Wang but she pretends to be asleep and avoids answering. Caught between her childhood friend and an undeniable connection, can Wang figure out her true feelings and choose the right love for herself before it’s too late? I Am The Secret In Your Heart is a heartfelt story of first love, friendship, and the evolving nature of relationships. It’s bound to make you think about your first love so be ready to take a trip down memory lane.
Art of Love (2024)
Trope: Second chance romance
A heist, a con, exes, and a thrilling chor-police ka khel—this Turkish rom-com has all the ingredients for a steamy, edge-of-the-seat watch. In this tale of a second-chance romance, Interpol officer Alin is on the trail of an art thief who only steals paintings themed around love. The twist? The culprit is none other than her ex-lover, Güney, a wealthy billionaire.
What starts as a calculated move—rekindling their romance to gather evidence—soon turns complicated as Alin finds herself falling for Güney again. He confesses that he allowed her to investigate him, hoping to reignite their connection. Torn between duty and love, Alin faces an impossible choice: turn in the man she loves or let a criminal walk free. Will they find their way out of this high-stakes game and take a second chance at love? The answer lies in a nail-biting climax.
