When you think of love in Indian cinema, the first moment that comes to mind is the ‘Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya' song from K Asif’s Mughal-E-Azam. The scene is iconic: Madhubala's court dancer, Anarkali, decides to defy King Akbar's (Prithviraj Kapoor) decree banning her from seeing his son, prince Salim (Dilip Kumar). The moment after his order, Anarkali breaks into a song and dance in front of the emperor, telling him there is no need to fear anything when in love. The moment works as a powerful statement of defiance and a declaration of unrelenting love.
Salim also has an equally powerful moment in the film as he professes his love for Anarkali. When Akbar tells Salim that while the father in him understands his feelings for a court dancer, he is still bound by the principles of an emperor. The prince retorts, saying, "Aur Salim apne Mohabbat se" (And Salim is bound by his love). It is one of those “unstoppable force meets immovable object” moments, which works as a statement of love and adds a deeper layer to the father-son dynamic. In a way, it levels the playing field, shifting the dynamic from a son pleading with his father to one power—a prince in love—taking another—the man on the throne—head-on. Both moments elevate love from a mere feeling into an act of revolt.
Speaking of which, another hero in Indian cinema who revolts against his lover's father is Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Unlike Anarkali and Salim, Raj does it in his quieter, more genial and gentlemanly manner. When Raj bets his future on the hope that Simran (Kajol) will turn back as she walks away, he defies the traditional archetype—pivoting from the aggressive pursuer to one who waits for parental consent. Raj firmly believes that winning one's love should never take them away from their near and dear ones. This explains his decision to travel to Punjab and win over Simran's father (Amrish Puri) and show his willingness to go to any lengths to convince the old man that he is the right man for his daughter. Where Salim and Anarkali use love as an intense emotion to take down the status quo, Raj uses it as a bridge to slowly dismantle a father’s pride. Both films deal with the patriarchal father figure, the near immovable object, albeit with different means. Chains and cannon fire symbolise the epic and confrontational ways in which Salim upholds his deep love for Anarkali. He is deferential but is even willing to sacrifice his life as a final act of pushing back against conventions.
On the other hand, Raj is a hopeful romantic, for whom love is more persuasive and inclusive. Where Salim is defiant, Raj is a diplomat, seeking not only the woman but the endorsement of the society that alienates him. Where Salim essentially says, “I will break all the rules for my love,” Raj shows a path of obedience. He is more like, “I will follow your rules until she becomes mine for good.” Bruises, a bloodied face and a train station symbolise Raj's agonising wait to get what he wants. His rebellion is not against Simran's father, Bauji, so much as it is against the very notion that one needs to steal love.
Another film where the main characters have to fight for their love is director-actor Raj Kapoor’s Awara. Here, too, Prithviraj Kapoor is the immovable force; only, his obdurate father character is an embodiment of the rigid justice system and genetic judgement. Raj’s (Raj Kapoor) fight is unique as he is fighting his judge father without even knowing it for most of the film. The conflict centres on the judge’s classist philosophy: "Good people are born to good people, and criminals are born to criminals."
Raj and Rita's (Nargis) love is a rebellious act against the barriers of class and social status. When Rita loves Raj, she is not only standing up against her guardian; she is refuting his whole life's work, his belief that Raj is inherently evil because of his lineage. The climax of Awara mirrors the ending of Mughal-E-Azam; only, here, a courtroom takes precedence over a palace. When Rita defends Raj in court, she uses the judge’s own tools to disprove his philosophy. One has to feel for Raj. A thief and a vagabond, he is trying to prove that he is worthy of his love despite his perceived ‘lower’ status. A magnificent dream sequence visualises his entrapment in the world of crime and his enchantment to the divine Rita. His fight for love is the most tragic of the three.