Action, comedy, erotica; Bollywood has long used a trial and error method to choose the flavour of the season. But the clear winner this time around is an old staple which has set the cash registers ringing after a long dry period at the box office. One look at the recent hits and you see a common thread. Be it Aashiqui 2, Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, Raanjhanaa or Ramaiya Vastavaiya, these releases have reinstated romance as the ultimate bread-winner in Bollywood. Theatres, both multiplexes and the single screen variety have reported a 35 to 45 percent increase in footfalls this year. Experts say that mush, plus some hit love songs and unique desi twists has emerged as a hit making formula. "Romantic films have done well and their successful sound tracks add to the appeal. These were not run-of-the-mill romances, but offered fresh content which appeals to all groups," Anand Vishal, Head of Operations, Fun Cinemas told TOI. Sameer Joshi, owner of Chandan Cinema, said that the "universal appeal of love stories" makes them crowd pullers. Kumar Taurani, head honcho of Tips was so sure about the genre that he chose a romance to launch his son Girish Taurani who debuted with Ramaiya Vastavaiya. "Me and Prabhudeva (the film's director) feel that a romantic movie is a safe bet for a new comer. The youth is our target audience and they are inclined towards this genre. And if you look at popular music, most of them are love songs and Jeene Laga Hoon is a great example," said Taurani. And it is not just debuts; the genre has also reinvigorated sagging careers and Shraddha Kapoor, the leading lady of Aashiqui 2 is a recent example.

The film's co-producer Bhushan Kumar, owner of music label T-Series, says "Her career graph has changed after the film. A romantic heroine in a great part connects with the audience like no other role does." Raanjhanaa which saw an unconventional couple, Tamil star Dhanush paired with Sonam Kapoor, touched a chord with the portrayal of love in small town India, a rare occurrence in the increasingly urban-centric content of Bollywood. Aanand Rai, the director of Raanjhanaa believes that the "Indian-ness" of these recent romantic movies helped create a connect with the audience. "How many adaptations of When Harry Met Sally could we churn out? Filmmakers are now confidently going back to Indian roots to make love stories akin to the classics we grew up on. " Bhushan Kumar sums it up saying, "First it was comedy, then we drifted into action with films like Rowdy Rathore and Dabangg and now it is all bout romance. But love stories were always central to the industry. The first Aashiqui was a superhit, with a still popular sound track and the recent sequel repeated the feat. After all, love makes the world go round."