Reluctant Romance has always been one of the most popular sub-genres when it comes to love stories since forever. Not very surprising that Indian TV has utilized this trope over and over again with great success. We have had shows like Kusum ad Kutumb in the nineties that were mega-popular all across the country. Come 2021 and it’s difficult for shows to make a place like that for themselves because of the plethora of channels, constant competition, and an oversupply of content.

I know we all love a good dose of stories where hate turns into love but have no way of knowing which shows to invest our time into. Fret no more, I have curated a list of current shows that are running on this theme of reluctant marriages and doing well. Don’t forget to leave comments if you watch any of these. Let me know why you love or hate them!

Ghum Hai Kisi Ke Pyar Mein- Sai Joshi, who aspires to become a doctor, is pressured into marrying Virat, an IPS officer who she blames for her father’s death. Virat, in turn, has been in love with Pakhi who is now married to his cousin due to a misunderstanding. For both of the leads, this is a marriage that will last only till Sai realizes her MBBS aspirations. But you get no trophies for guessing that feelings are caught on both sides and how a barrage of misunderstandings continues to keep them apart. With Pakhi not ready to forget Virat’s promises, this develops into a delicious love triangle. The show is one of the top-rated shows on star plus with an impressive TRP of 3.1. Virat Chavan is played by Neil Bhatt & Sai Joshi is played by Ayesha Singh. Watch it for the strong-willed Sai and a straight forward Virat.

Udaariyan – Very high on drama this show is produced by the well-known duo Sargun Mehta & Ravi Dubey.

Fateh is in love with Jasmin who rejects him when his promised job in Canada doesn’t come through. At the risk of being left on the altar, he marries Jasmin’s maturer sister Tejo. In a classic case of late realization, Jasmin wants Feteh back who is still confused about his feelings and ends up cheating on Tejo. The couple separate but there is another reluctant marriage on the cards when Angad, an NRI develops a close bond with Tejo. As Jasmin & Fateh can only marry with their family’s consent for which Tejo getting remarried is a prerequisite, Tejo agrees to a fake marriage with Angad.

This show runs on Colors TV with a TRP of 2.7 starring Ankit Gupta, Isha Malviya, Priyanka Choudhary and Karan Grover

Saathiya Saath Nibhana 2– A sequel to the long-running show Sathiya Saath Nibhana, this version revolves around Gehna & Anant. Gehna is an illiterate house help who gets married to their employer’s son due to unforeseen circumstances. Initially considered a responsibility for Anant, the marriage is all set to blossom into a marriage of compassion, understanding & support.

This show runs on star plus with a TRP of 2.1 starring Harsh Nagar & Sneha Jain

Let me know if I have missed out on any interesting shows on this theme. Happy watching!