As Kangana Ranaut and R Madhavan get ready to rekindle the spark in their marriage in 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns', we list a few films which showed frigid relations between a married couple eventually blossoming into love...

Most Bollywood movies are about the triumph of love and happily ever afters, but only a handful of films have really explored closer-to-life situations where relationships are hardly a bed of roses. Kangana Ranaut and R Madhavan-starrer 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns', which is ready for release, focuses on how life changes after marriage. In the film, differences emerge between the two and they decide to go their separate ways.

Says Kangana, `The first film ended when they got married, and the sequel starts four years post their marriage where they realise that it's not working out. They cannot stand each other and from there one has to see if they manage to fall in love all over again or they go their separate ways.`

Madhavan says love has taken on a completely different meaning for today's generation. `For example, youths send text messages to propose, which is safer. It can save you from getting slapped and avoid an embarrassing situation,` he states, adding that sustaining a marriage is no mean feat.

Hitlist takes a look at a few films which had the lead pairs falling in love with each other long after they tied the knot on reel...

'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' (2008)

Taani (Anushka Sharma) must tie the knot with the serious looking, government officer Surinder Sahni (Shah Rukh Khan) after her fiance is killed in an accident prior to the wedding day. Her professor-father suffers a major heart attack and asks his student, Surinder to marry Taani as his last wish. She despises him, but he goes out of his way to woo her - but with a dual identity (Raj). She gradually falls for him and considers eloping with him. They take part in a couple dance contest where Surinder, not Raj, turns up as her partner. She now understands what troubles he went through to win her over and can't help but fall in love with him.

Namastey London (2007)

Born and brought up in London, Jasmeet (Katrina Kaif) is forced to marry uneducated Arjun (Akshay Kumar) when her family comes to India on a tour. She refuses to acknowledge the marriage and on returning to London, she decides to get married to a UK resident, Charlie who is well educated and has good connections. However, she is subjected to racial discrimination at the hands of Charlie's family while Arjun stands by her all along. Jasmeet then realises she loves Arjun and goes back to India with him to start a new life.

Dhadkan (2000)
Anjali (Shilpa Shetty), who comes from a rich, influential family, is in love with Dev (Suniel Shetty), a man of modest means. Her parents are against the match and find a wealthy suitor in Ram (Akshay Kumar), who is also a man of ideals. He loves and respects his wife, who does not reciprocate his feelings. But seeing him stand by her like a rock and loving her come what may, she falls in love with him. Though Dev comes back to her life and she is tempted to stray, she decides to be faithful to Ram for his forgiving nature and magnanimous heart.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)

Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) gets involved with her musician father's student Sameer (Salman Khan), much to her orthodox family's displeasure. The father asks Sameer to leave the town and never meet his daughter again as 'guru dakshina'. Nandini is married off to lawyer Vanraj (Ajay Devgn) but pines for her first love. Vanraj decides to reunite the lovers by taking her to his city, Budapest, but during the trip, she realises that her husband is the one she loves now.

Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015)

Prem (Ayushmann Khurrana) dreams of a beautiful life partner, but succumbing to family pressure, gets married to an educated girl Sandhya (Bhumi Pednekar) who is ordinary looking and overweight. Though she digs him, he is not excited about spending the rest of his life with the well-rounded woman. A divorce seems inevitable, but when the court gives them six months to give their marriage another chance, they start understanding each other and gradually, love blossoms.