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Mass media has forever influenced people, and movies are a huge contributor. It is a known factor that for Indians, Bollywood isn’t just a film industry. It’s a cultural phenomenon. It has been shaping the nation’s sense of fashion, identity, and, sometimes, even dating style.
Bollywood actors and actresses entertain millions of people. But that’s not all. They also influence people’s perception of love. In the continuously developing dating world, the Bollywood industry and celebrities play a pivotal role in pushing new trends, setting new dating standards, and molding a new dating culture as shared by Ravi Mittal, Founder, and CEO of QuackQuack.
Attitude toward relationships-
Bollywood movies have done a tremendous job at challenging the yesteryear notion of love and romance in India and shattering the taboo around unconventional relationships. They have depicted modern relationship arrangements in ways that educated people and shifted society’s attitude toward them more positively. India’s leading dating app, QuackQuack, shared its user behavior data, which clearly shows how movies and celebrity relationships influence young Indians; for instance, a celebrity wedding usually leads to an increased number of matches and more chat time among users, discussing the same.
Relationship Goals-
Bollywood portrays the most idealized version of romance. While it seems unrealistic, the influence that it has on the common people is very much real. Grand gestures are Bollywood’s best friend, and copying the same, young lovers try to pull off, if not so grand, at least a realistically achievable version of it. A strong character, genuine connection among a couple, going out of their way to keep a relationship alive- these are all the positive impacts on real-life romance. QuackQuack closely monitors dating trends and shares that Bollywood couples and the relationships portrayed in movies work to create relationship goals among people. Among many such instances, subtle public displays of affection often seen between celebrity couples have become a positive template for young couples in India; so has their grace in handling breakups and backlash from the public.
Celebrity Influence from Social Media-
Bollywood celebrity relationships showcased in social media have had a huge impact on Indian daters and their preference for a partner. Glimpses of their personal life and a few romantic moments drive young people to aim for the love story they see on-screen. User behavior analysis shows daters mimicking celeb-couple behavior, trying to re-create scenes from their wedding videos, and even celebrating milestones in a relationship in the exact way done by their Bollywood role models.
While it has affected most relationships positively, increasing the benchmark and leading people to understand their worth, it has, in some cases, hurt some relationships. Couples’ demands from each other increased manifold without realizing that a few posts are not the entire reality. The app strongly suggests that the onus is not on any celebrity couple but on people to understand the difference between reel life and real life.
Breaking Stereotypes-
Bollywood celebrity relationships are effectively breaking stereotypes. A case study shows that some celebs marrying late have worked in normalizing the concept of not rushing to settle down among the masses. People are waiting to find a compatible match instead of giving in to societal expectations. Even Bollywood movies positively impact Indian daters by showing more diverse narratives, like a focus on mental health over a long-term but toxic relationship.
Wedding Trends-
Dreamy Bollywood weddings have been trending for quite a while. The extravagant celebration influences some, and for some others, it’s the budget-friendly intimate weddings. It is even seen in the choice of wedding dress, decor, and wedding rituals. It is observed that these grand plans start from the initial chatting phase and work in strengthening it by helping couples envision a future together.
Shattering Biased Gender Roles-
Bollywood couples and Bollywood in general have had a significant effect on breaking gender roles in love and dating. The changing portrayal of the male and female protagonists with a more balanced relationship in movies has largely encouraged gender equality in dating. This is particularly great in a country like India, where gender roles are biased. It has led couples to share responsibilities, women to take the lead in the initial phase of dating, men to show their vulnerabilities, communicate openly, support each other, and more.
