2012 seems to be the year of love triangles with many films exploring the facets of some rather 'crowded' relationships

Tales of three people involved in one story always means a mixture of guilt, sacrifice and a happy-sad ending, almost guaranteeing a teary eyed audience, and as a result, a super hit film.

It is either two men in love with one woman or two women in love with one man.

This tear-jerking formula of unrequited love has been very well used by the filmmakers of yore. Looks like the formula is finding it's way again into some of the forthcoming films this year.

Three is company

While the plots of some such films coming up this year are diverse, the filmmakers are depending greatly on love stories with three protagonists. Like Reema Kagti who brings back Aamir Khan as a daredevil cop in Talaash, with two lovely ladies in his life (Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor.)

Interestingly, Dhobi Ghat too saw Aamir involved in a love triangle. Trade analyst Amod Mehra points out, "In most love stories, the permutations can be generated only through a third element. By far the triangle has proven to be the most successful dramatic element."


Student of The Year

Probably why, director Milan Luthria chose a love story between three protagonists as the plot for Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai 2. Adds Milan, "We see two men who can achieve the world, struggling for the attention and affection of this one woman.

It's interesting to see how money and power you possess does not really matter when you fall for someone. Here it is a matter of ego too, as both men are dons and they are used to getting what they want."

Then and now

While Yash Chopra gave us the intense Silsila, he also introduced us to the finer lines between dosti and pyaar in Dil To Pagal Hai. And now after a seven year sabbatical he returns with what promises to be the biggest love story of the year, with SRK cast opposite Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif.


Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan in Silsila

Following on the footsteps of Yash Chopra and his father Yash Johar is filmmaker Karan Johar who gave us hits like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho. Now he is all set to release his next, Student of The Year that portrays three young and vulnerable lovers.

The offbeat lovers

Interestingly, for films like Dibakar Banerjee's Shanghai and Anurag Basu's Barfee that explore several other subjects as well, a love triangle is the constant feature.

In the first movie, Emran Haashmi, Kalki and Abhay Deol find themselves in a political war zone, while in Basu's film Ranbir Kapoor plays a deaf and mute character, while PC plays an autistic person. Ileana D'Cruz plays the third character in the triangle.

Our Top 10 Love Triangles

Andaaz (1949)
Pyaasa (1957)
Devdas (1935, 1955, 2002)
Sangam (1964)
Andaaz (1971)
Silsila (1981)
Saajan (1991)
Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)
Ishqiya (2010)