Ghosting? Check. Situationships? Double check. Gaslighting? Unfortunately, check. Welcome to modern dating, where commitment feels like a dirty word and relationships come with more labels than a designer wardrobe. But what happens when GenZ watches Mohabbatein, the iconic 2000 romance that’s turning 25 today? Suddenly, those Instagram reels about “no-label relationships” feel hollow. Shah Rukh Khan’s Raj Aryan fought a rigid principal for love while today’s generation can’t even get a text back. Let’s unpack why this old-school romance hits different and what it reveals about how we’ve complicated something that used to be beautifully simple.
The Film That Made Love Look Epic
Released on October 27, 2000, Mohabbatein wasn’t just another Bollywood romance. Aditya Chopra spent five years crafting his follow-up to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, and the result was pure magic. The film earned a blockbuster verdict with worldwide collections touching 76.91 crores on a 19 crore budget. Those numbers might seem modest now, but back then? This was massive success. The overseas gross of 18.74 crores proved Indian audiences globally craved this kind of storytelling. More importantly, it sold 5 million soundtrack copies, becoming 2000’s highest-selling album. That’s not streaming numbers inflated by autoplay, that’s people actually buying music because it meant something.
The premise sounds simple: strict principal Narayan Shankar (Amitabh Bachchan) runs Gurukul with an iron fist under his motto of parampara, pratishtha, anushasan (tradition, prestige, discipline). Enter music teacher Raj Aryan (Shah Rukh Khan), who encourages three students to pursue forbidden love. But beneath this setup lies profound commentary about generational conflicts, personal freedom versus institutional control, and whether love deserves to be celebrated or suppressed. For GenZ watching it now, the themes feel oddly relevant despite the 25-year gap.
When Passion Actually Meant Something
The three love stories in Mohabbatein showcase different dimensions of romance. Karan loves Kiran but hesitates to express himself. Vicky pursues Ishika despite class differences. Sameer connects with Sanjana through shared values. Each relationship develops with patience, vulnerability, and genuine emotional investment. Compare that to modern dating where “talking stages” drag on forever without clarity, people maintain multiple “options,” and defining the relationship feels like negotiating a business contract. The film’s characters risk everything for love, from academic futures to family approval, because the connection matters more than convenience.
Research on situationships reveals why GenZ gravitates toward undefined relationships. Psychologists note this generation values choice and flexibility, preferring to “cherry-pick” relationship components rather than committing fully. Social media amplifies this by presenting endless options, making it easier to keep looking instead of investing in one person. The fear of vulnerability mixed with past relationship trauma creates what one 25-year-old described as settling for “more than a hookup, less than a relationship.” Mohabbatein operates in the opposite universe where characters wear their hearts openly, pursue love actively, and embrace the risk of rejection.
Share this with your friend who’s been in a situationship for two years waiting for their “partner” to commit!
The Music That Actually Slaps
Jatin-Lalit’s soundtrack deserves its legendary status. Songs like “Humko Humise Chura Lo,” “Aankhein Khuli,” and “Chalte Chalte” weren’t just catchy, they advanced the narrative and deepened emotional connections. Each of the three couples got distinct musical identities. “Soni Soni” featured three different antaras reflecting each pair’s unique dynamic. Unlike today’s 30-second snippets designed for Instagram reels, these were complete compositions with verses, bridges, and instrumental interludes that told stories.
The composers faced challenges training newcomers versus experienced playback singers, spending extensive time ensuring voices matched character personalities. This attention to detail created a cohesive musical experience where songs felt integral rather than inserted. GenZ listeners raised on algorithm-curated playlists might initially find the four-minute tracks too long, but that’s precisely the point. These songs demand attention and reward patience, mirroring the film’s message about love itself requiring time and effort.
Modern Bollywood struggles with memorable music partly because the industry prioritizes viral potential over lasting impact. When was the last time a soundtrack generated the cultural footprint Mohabbatein achieved? The film’s music still plays at weddings, college fests, and nostalgic playlists 25 years later. That longevity stems from emotional depth and musical craftsmanship that transcends trends.
Parampara Meets Personal Freedom
The Narayan Shankar versus Raj Aryan conflict represents more than teacher drama. It’s tradition versus progress, control versus freedom, fear versus hope. Narayan’s rigid discipline stems from personal tragedy when his daughter’s forbidden love ended in suicide. His response? Ban love entirely and build walls around everything. Raj counters that suppressing emotion creates more pain than embracing it ever could. This philosophical debate resonates across generations because the core tension remains constant: Who decides how you should live?
GenZ faces similar pressures despite society’s apparent modernity. Parental expectations about careers, partners, and life milestones clash with individual aspirations. Social media presents curated perfection that breeds inadequacy and comparison. Dating apps commodify human connection, reducing people to swipeable profiles based on superficial criteria. The rebellion looks different, wearing streetwear instead of school uniforms and happening on smartphones instead of campus, but the struggle for autonomy against external judgment stays universal.
Mohabbatein ultimately validates both perspectives. Discipline provides structure and tradition offers identity, but rigid adherence suffocates growth. Love deserves space to flourish, but consequences and responsibilities matter. The film’s resolution where Narayan accepts love’s value while maintaining institutional dignity suggests balance beats extremism. Maybe GenZ’s non-committal approach and Bollywood’s dramatic gestures both miss the middle ground where authentic connection thrives without losing individual identity.
The Cast That Delivered Perfection
Shah Rukh Khan filmed his first scene with Amitabh Bachchan and reportedly felt “small” facing his childhood idol. That humility shows in Raj’s character, respectful yet challenging, passionate yet measured. For Bachchan, Mohabbatein offered something rare: a role matching his actual age. After decades playing younger characters, portraying a 60-year-old principal felt refreshing. Their on-screen dynamic crackles with mutual respect beneath ideological opposition, mirroring the actors’ real relationship.
The six newcomers, Uday Chopra, Jugal Hansraj, Jimmy Sheirgill, Shamita Shetty, Kim Sharma, and Preeti Jhangiani, underwent eight months intensive training before filming. Preeti recently recalled Aditya Chopra’s four-hour narration session with the full cast that left everyone “absolutely enthralled.” That preparation shows in their performances, which feel genuine despite the heightened emotions. Jimmy Sheirgill mentioned how people still call him Karan, while Preeti gets recognized as Kiran decades later. These characters embedded themselves in cultural memory because the actors invested fully in making them believable.
Aishwarya Rai’s Megha appears only in flashbacks as Raj’s deceased love, but her presence anchors the narrative. The tragic backstory adds weight to Raj’s mission encouraging others toward happiness he lost. This ensemble approach where everyone contributes meaningfully created the film’s rich emotional tapestry. Modern films often focus narrowly on leads, but Mohabbatein understood that love stories involve communities, not just couples.
What GenZ Actually Gets Wrong (And Right)
Critics mock GenZ for shallow connections and commitment phobia, but that oversimplifies a complex reality. This generation faces economic uncertainty, climate anxiety, political turmoil, and social media pressure previous generations couldn’t imagine. Dating apps haven’t just changed how people meet, they’ve redefined expectations and made rejection feel less personal but more frequent. The paradox of choice creates paralysis where abundant options prevent meaningful selection.
However, GenZ’s emphasis on boundaries, mental health, and authenticity offers valuable corrections to older relationship models. Mohabbatein‘s romantic gestures can veer into problematic territory where persistence resembles harassment and grand declarations feel manipulative. The thin line between passionate pursuit and unwanted attention deserves scrutiny. Modern dating’s explicit communication about consent and preferences represents genuine progress.
The issue isn’t choosing between Mohabbatein‘s old-school romance and GenZ’s careful navigation. It’s learning from both. The film’s message about love’s transformative power and willingness to fight for meaningful connection deserves preservation. GenZ’s awareness about healthy boundaries and individual autonomy deserves expansion. Imagine relationships combining Mohabbatein‘s emotional investment with GenZ’s psychological awareness. That synthesis could revolutionize how people connect.
Why This Film Still Matters
Mohabbatein endures because it addresses timeless questions through culturally specific storytelling. How do you honor tradition while embracing change? When should you fight authority versus accept wisdom? What makes love worth risking everything? The film doesn’t provide easy answers but creates space for viewers to reflect on their own beliefs. That’s increasingly rare in entertainment prioritizing quick consumption over lasting impact.
The movie’s technical achievements also cement its legacy. Cinematographer Manmohan Singh captured Longleat House’s stunning architecture (standing in for Gurukul) with sweeping shots emphasizing scale and beauty. Costume designer Karan Johar (yes, that Karan Johar) created distinct visual identities for characters through color and style. The production design’s attention to detail, from uniforms to campus aesthetics, built a believable world that enhanced storytelling. These elements combined to create an immersive experience that transports viewers completely.
Jimmy Sheirgill recently teased a possible theatrical re-release for the 25th anniversary, saying “Even today, kids watch the film whenever it’s on TV, and it feels amazing to be part of such a timeless movie.” That intergenerational appeal proves Mohabbatein‘s themes transcend their 2000 context. Parents who watched it in theaters now show their children, creating shared cultural touchstones that spark conversations about values, love, and life choices.
The Dating Apps Bollywood Never Imagined
When Mohabbatein released, Nokia 3310s were cutting-edge technology and social media didn’t exist. Dating meant actual face-to-face interaction, feelings developed through proximity and shared experiences, and relationships progressed linearly from friendship to romance to commitment. Fast forward to 2025 where Tinder compiled a dictionary of GenZ dating terms because their language bewilders everyone else. Terms like “benching” (keeping someone as a backup option), “breadcrumbing” (minimal attention to maintain interest), and “haunting” (lurking on social media after ghosting) describe behaviors that would perplex Mohabbatein‘s characters.
The film shows poems delivered under trees and dramatic declarations in rain. Today’s equivalent? Double-tapping Instagram stories and sending ambiguous memes. The efficiency gains come at emotional costs. You can connect with hundreds of potential partners but struggle to deeply know even one. The dating pool expands globally while loneliness reaches epidemic levels. Technology promised to solve connection problems but arguably amplified them by reducing humans to profiles and interactions to transactions.
This doesn’t mean returning to landlines and letters, but recognizing what got lost in the digital transition. Mohabbatein‘s relationships develop through sustained attention, vulnerable conversations, and physical presence. The characters learn each other’s dreams, fears, quirks, and values because they invest time without the escape hatch of “unmatch” buttons. Modern daters could benefit from that patient approach even while using apps. Technology is the tool; intentionality determines the outcome.
Don’t miss out! Try watching Mohabbatein this weekend and see if it changes your perspective on what love could be.
Lessons Worth Learning
What can 2025 audiences learn from a 2000 film? Plenty. First, love requires vulnerability. Raj tells his students that loving someone means risking heartbreak but that risk makes the connection meaningful. GenZ’s protective barriers against pain also block joy. Second, patience beats instant gratification. The film’s relationships develop gradually through small moments of connection rather than explosive passion. Third, fighting for relationships matters. Not toxic persistence, but showing up, communicating clearly, and prioritizing the connection when challenges arise.
The film also teaches that institutions and traditions serve purposes but shouldn’t crush individual spirit. Narayan’s discipline creates order and achievement, but his fear-based control prevents growth. Finding balance between respecting structures while maintaining personal freedom remains relevant whether discussing schools, families, or societal expectations. GenZ’s rebellious streak could learn from Raj’s respectful challenge that transforms rather than destroys.
Finally, Mohabbatein reminds viewers that love transcends romance. The friendships between the three students, Raj’s mentorship, even Narayan’s eventual transformation all demonstrate love’s multiple expressions. Modern culture’s romantic obsession overlooks how other relationships provide meaning and support. The film’s holistic view of connection offers a healthier model than dating apps’ narrow focus.
Your Turn To Revisit Romance
Mohabbatein celebrates 25 years by asking uncomfortable questions about how we approach relationships today. The film isn’t perfect, its gender dynamics sometimes problematic and emotions occasionally melodramatic. But its core message that love deserves celebration, investment, and courage resonates across generations. GenZ didn’t invent relationship confusion; they just have different vocabularies for timeless struggles.
Stream Mohabbatein on Amazon Prime or other platforms. Watch with an open mind about what old-school Bollywood got right even while recognizing what it got wrong. Then ask yourself: Are situationships making you happier or just easier? Does your dating approach serve your goals or just protect your ego? What would change if you approached relationships with the commitment those characters showed?
The film’s enduring popularity proves people still crave stories about meaningful connection. Maybe that’s because despite dating apps, social media, and new terminology, the fundamental human desire to be known and loved remains unchanged. Mohabbatein tapped into that universal longing, and 25 years later, it still strikes a chord. Comment below about your favorite moment from the film or how it compares to your dating experiences. Share with anyone who needs reminding that love used to mean forever. Follow for more takes on Bollywood classics that still have lessons for modern life. Your situationship can wait, but discovering what real romance looks like shouldn’t.
