From candy-floss romances to one-sided love affairs, we have seen Bollywood celebrate love in all its glory over the past several decades. But hidden in this multitude of out-and-out romantic connections are a few onscreen gems that explore relationships in a whole new dimension — a special bond between two individuals that cannot be boxed in any particular category. On Valentine’s Day, we take a look at four relationships in recent Bollywood movies that celebrate the undefined strings of attachment.

Ila and Saajan in The Lunchbox

In Ritesh Batra’s 2013 drama The Lunchbox, Nimrat Kaur plays Ila, a lonely homemaker who wants to rekindle the spark in her married life by cooking delicious lunches for her husband. But due to a mix-up in the delivery, her lunchboxes reach a middle-aged widower Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan) instead. Realising her mistake, Ila sends a note to Saajan with the next lunchbox, starting an exchange of letters between the two. This sparks a special connection between the two as they share their deepest secrets with each other.

Shashi and Laurent in English Vinglish

Sridevi plays Shashi, a homemaker, in Gauri Shinde’s English Vinglish (2012), a heartwarming tale of rediscovering one’s self-worth. Looked down upon by her husband and daughter for her lack of English-speaking skills, Shashi decides to win back her self-confidence by enrolling in English classes during a trip to New York. There she meets Laurent (Mehdi Nebbou), a French chef, who is smitten by her charm. They form a bond of friendship based on mutual respect. While Shashi thanks Laurent for making her feel good about herself, the latter considers meeting her a very special moment in his life.

Piku and Rana in Piku

In Shoojit Sircar’s 2015 eponymous drama about discovering one’s roots, Piku (Deepika Padukone) shares a riveting chemistry with Rana (Irrfan Khan). Their bond develops organically during a trip to Kolkata from Delhi. Their conversations are effortless and their chemistry is palpable throughout the film. During the course of their journey, Rana makes Piku come to terms with her true self, one that got buried under the weight of her responsibilities as a daughter. She is finally able to stand up against her father’s tantrums. Rana, in a sense, teaches self-love and acceptance to Piku, which makes her feel liberated.

Rafi and Miloni in Photograph

Photograph (2019) is a romantic drama directed by Ritesh Batra. The film revolves around Rafi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), a street photographer, who convinces Miloni (Sanya Malhotra) to pose as his fiancee for a photograph in order to fend off his grandmother’s attempts at getting him married. When Rafi’s grandmother (Farrukh Jaffar) demands to be introduced to his fiancee in person, he tracks Miloni down and urges her to fake their relationship. Miloni, a student belonging to a rich family, readily agrees to the thrilling proposition. The duo form a unique bond despite the barriers of social status and religion.