Do you remember Salman Khan’s soft boy era as Prem? This was way before his transformation into Selmon bhai. From Maine Pyar Kiya to Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Hum Saath-Saath Hain, he was the ultimate green flag but also a typical Mumma’s boy. In fact, to this day, my mother would randomly pick any of his movies from that decade. “You’d barely find anyone like Prem these days“, she says. Maybe the Box Office people agreed with her, so they re-released the movie Maine Pyar Kiya on August 30.

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The coming-of-age movie is a remarkable guide for current relationships. If you’re Gen Z, then it’s time to come out of that ‘situationship’ and sign up for a real romance. The next time your partner cooks up a stupid excuse for being a jerk, you should make them watch Maine Pyar Kiya. Here’s why the movie has got a lot of things right about relationships.

1. Dosti mein no sorry, no thank you!

The movie runs on the idea that friendship or a relationship is beyond stupid sorry(s) and formal thank you(s). It doesn’t completely remove the need to apologise, even when it is someone’s mistake. You must simply put in extra effort to make up for your wrongdoing. So if your partner is mad at you, a simple sorry wouldn’t do. Please, go make a special breakfast, take them out on a cute date or do something to bring back their smile.

2. Not just a one-time thing

It’s not like today’s ‘situationships’ where you are allowed to do anything. One day, you’re treating her like the love of your life, and the next day, she becomes a nobody to you. Maine Pyar Kiya movie has got this straight— Ab dosti ki hai, toh nibhani toh padegi. Prem and Suman are always there for each other whenever the need arises. Remember when Suman came out with her puja ki thali to save Prem when he was about to get caught smoking?

3. Friend first, partner second

The movie prioritised friendship before we learnt that pyaar dosti hai. Prem and Suman represent the friends-to-lovers trope where they define a lover who is also your BFF. As Prem says, dost toh voh hota hai jisse milne ko jee chahe, baat karne ko jee chahe. We’d be lying if we said that we hadn’t dreamt of a partner with whom we could meet and share conversations for the rest of our lives.

4. Always showing up

If your friend only makes promises to support you but shoos you away when the clock ticks 12, you might need to reconsider your relationship. In Maine Pyar Kiya, Prem always shows up for Suman. When he takes her to one of his friend’s parties, he is stunned to see people misbehaving with her. When one of the guys harassed Suman, he didn’t sit back in a corner. Instead, he brought out his macho side and acted to protect her honour. Guys, you need to learn from him and be a mard and not just preach it like a parrot.

5. Papa ka business isn’t enough

You want to marry a girl but still let your dad take care of all your expenses. How does that make you self-reliant? When Prem’s father refuses to accept their relationship, Prem leaves his family business to live with Suman. He vows to earn 2000 rupees by doing menial work so he’s ‘capable’ enough to support both of them. Pyaar ke liye kuchh bhi is the motto he lived by till the end of the movie.

6. Consent is important

While men forget this basic concept even today, the movie Maine Pyar Kiya lived up to it. Prem is a modern guy who got his higher education in London. But he’s also very rooted in his traditions. When Prem and Suman confess their love for each other, the former could easily get her in bed. But does he? No. It was a faraway thought. Suman has never worn western wear, but Prem gifts her dresses that she might be comfortable in. This further makes Suman grow out of her shyness and be okay with Prem and their relationship.

7. Making time for special moments

You say you forgot their birthday? Prem’s father intentionally sent him to another city for some business so he could be away from Suman. But Prem, being Prem, surprised Suman with a terrace date the night before her birthday. You can be busy all you want, but making someone feel special on certain occasions shouldn’t be a task.

8. Not asking for too much

They take an eternity to reply even when they know it makes you anxious. Moreover, just dropping a “Hey, I’m a bit caught up, I’ll text you in some time” will only take 10 seconds. Imagine people used to send letters to their lovers through a kabootar. Now that is ‘making an effort’. Prem and Suman used to converse through letters when they were away from each other. Give me a better excuse for not replying, I’ll wait.

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