SheThePeople Picks: 10 Unconventional Love Stories That Challenge the Norm

Not all love stories begin with violins or end with happily-ever-afters. Some unfold through lunchboxes, legal offices, missed trains, or awkward first encounters. Some speak of longing, others of letting go. In a world saturated with fairy-tale romances, these stories dare to ask—what if love doesn’t look like what we were told it should?

In this special feature, we explore films and series that celebrate the unexpected, the imperfect, and the deeply human ways people find connection. From accidental companionships to bold redefinitions of love itself, here’s a curated list of stories that embrace off-beat romances and the emotions that linger long after the credits roll.

The Lunchbox

Ila (Nimrat Kaur) and Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan) strike an unexpected friendship most unpredictably. Ila, a young homemaker who aspires to bring romance back into her marriage, pours her love into preparing lunchboxes for her husband. Saajan is a widower who is about to retire from his job as an accountant. In a mix-up, he starts getting the lunchbox meant for Ila's husband. This film features two contrasting characters deprived of emotional support in a heartwarming yet muted love story. 

Plan A Plan B

Dr. Nirali Vora (Tamannaah Bhatia) and Adv. Kaustubh Chougule (Riteish Deshmukh) are two lonely souls who are separated from their former partners. While Nirali, being optimistic about love, runs a matchmaking business, Kaustubh, who has lost his belief in love, is a divorce lawyer by profession. The film explores modern-day relationships and separation while highlighting the lack of effort people nowadays put into their love. 

Aap Jaisa Koi

Shrirenu Tripathi (R. Madhavan), a 42-year-old man seeking love, gets entangled with a 32-year-old vivacious young teacher, Madhu Bose (Fatima Sana Shaikh). What starts with them meeting as an arranged match leads to developing a story that navigates insecurities, vulnerabilities, and patriarchy amidst a budding love story.

Miss Shetty, Mr. Polishetty

Miss Shetty (Anushka Shetty), a 30-year-old master chef living in the UK, has a love story with 25-year-old stand-up comedian Mr. Polishetty (Naveen Polishetty) that is anything but ordinary. Miss Shetty, who, being affected by her parents’ divorce, stopped believing in love, meets the enthusiastic and hopeful Polishetty. Their unique circumstances whip up an everlasting companionship.

Jalebi

Sometimes, the best way to love someone is to let them go. Aisha (Rhea Chakraborty), a budding writer, falls in love with a local guide, Dev (Varun Mitra). Jalebi explores a love story where destinations are different—two people living separate lives—yet their love remains intact.

Badhaai Do

What happens when two people with completely different preferences marry to keep society off their backs? Badhaai Do tells the story of a lavender marriage between Shardul (Rajkummar Rao), a gay cop, and Suman (Bhumi Pednekar), a lesbian physical education teacher. A brave narrative about finding love, not necessarily romantic, in the most unexpected partnership.

Meenakshi Sundareshwar

Two newlyweds, Meenakshi (Sanya Malhotra) and Sundareshwar (Abhimanyu Dassani) are forced to live apart right after marriage due to work commitments. The film explores the complications of long-distance relationships in the age of texts and video calls. A tale that navigates the love story beyond the happily ever after in a simple yet heartwarming manner.

Pagglait

Sandhya (Sanya Malhotra) is widowed just five months into her arranged marriage and finds herself unable to cry at her husband’s funeral. The husband she couldn't connect with as a person. Pagglait is a love story in the traditional sense, but the catch is that a woman rediscovers herself through the absence of love.

The Idea of You

A 40-year-old single mom, Sophie (Anne Hathaway), unexpectedly finds herself falling for 24-year-old pop star Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), who is part of the biggest boy band on the planet and whom even her teenage daughter adores. The Idea of You narrates a love story that raises more eyebrows than hearts. It's an independent woman choosing herself and fighting for her love in a world that constantly tells her she's past her prime.

It Ends With Us

Based on Colleen Hoover’s bestseller, this is a story of Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a woman torn between her first love, Atlas (Brandon Sklenar), and her charismatic but abusive husband, Ryle (Justin Baldoni). It Ends With Us is about breaking generational cycles and understanding that sometimes, the most powerful kind of love is self-love.