Real-life couples may not add up to great business at the box office, but exes usually do. The most recent example being Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor in 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' (YJHD), which has taken the biggest first day opening collection of 2013. Incidentally, Deepika and Ranbir worked together in Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) during their dating days, but the business of the film was not extraordinary. Another example of ex-lovers appealing more to the audience was Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor's in Jab We Met (JWM) in 2007. They had split just before the film's release. The couple, who could not conjure magic on screen with Fida (2004), Chup Chup Ke (2006) and 36 China Town (2006), became a rage after JWM. An industry source recalls, "The producers of the film encashed it by calling the media after they announced their split. Even in the case of YJHD, the promotion focussed on the two actors being ex-lovers." The biggest example of former lovers coming together to give one of the biggest hits of Indian cinema was Dilip Kumar and Madhubala in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). Film writer Dilip Thakur notes, "They were not on talking terms. But obviously, they didn't allow their personal difference to reflect in their performances which resulted in the film becoming a superhit. Similarly, with Vinod Mehra and Rekha.

Their biggest hit after their break-up was Ghar (1978)." Katrina Kaif and Salman Khan worked together in Yuvraaj (2008) when they were a couple. The film was a disaster at the box office. But after they parted ways, they came together in Ek Tha Tiger (2012) and the film went on to create history at the ticket windows. There were times when a break-up affected a film's fate. "Sanjeev Kumar and Hema Malini's film Dhoop Chhaon (1977) could not get completed because Hema did not give dates for the film after her fallout with Kumar. Raveena Tandon and Akshay Kumar's Barood (1998) too got affected because of the split" recalls Thakur. There was a time when the audiences fantasised about their favourite stars, but now, the audience faces so much media exposure that they know everything about the star's real life. So there is very little interest in seeing them on screen. Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty says, "After a break-up, new alignments may be more reality-based and pragmatic. A break-up kindles healthy respect and business enjoys a democratic ambience." There are reports that filmmakers are looking at casting ex-lovers with reports of Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor reuniting for a film. Producers of Shootout At Wadala did try casting Bipasha Basu with John Abraham, but the latter didn't seem comfortable with the idea of sharing screen space with his former lover.