Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Romantics’ on Netflix, A Docuseries About Bollywood’s Auteur Director Yash Chopra

The latest project from Smriti Mundhra, the creator of Indian Matchmaking, is a deep dive into the history of Bollywood through the lens of an iconic filmmaker, Yash Raj. Mundhra’s background as a documentary filmmaker comes to the forefront in Netflix’s latest, which arrives just in time for Valentine’s Day.

THE ROMANTICS: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A montage of interview subjects getting mic’ed up, asking about the parameters of the interview, smoothing down their blouses, and preparing to open up about the legacy of Yash Chopra and Yash Raj Films.

The Gist: Director Yash Chopra is one of the most influential figures in Bollywood history and the creator of the banner Yash Raj Films. The Romantics tracks his career from his big break to the highs and lows of his legendary films via archival footage and new interviews from some of Bollywood’s biggest names in front of and behind the camera.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? The deeper look at Bollywood’s most seminal creator covers similar ground as the documentary Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel, which also charted the boundary-breaking career of its main subject.

Our Take: For many, Bollywood is a monolithic endeavor: hailing from India, it is a catch-all term for the country’s largest film industry. But The Romantics seeks to understand the shape of the industry and its outsized impact as not just a source of entertainment but also a statement about the people of India via the films of one of the country’s most prolific directors.

Modern-day Bollywood fans will be giddy at the sheer amount of talent and behind-the-scenes access afforded to Mundhra and her crew. The most famous names, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, all participate not to discuss their own careers but to exalt Yash Chopra and fanboy about the films that inspired them (Ayushmann Khurana is especially fun when recounting his first brush with these films). Mundhra even scores a sit-down with the famously reclusive Aditya Chopra, son of Chopra and director of the iconic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, in the docuseries’ second hour.

It is a celebration of the industry constructed for the super-fan, but also serves as an entry point for the uninitiated. Because the four-part series is rooted in history, there is a certain level of education embedded in its ethos — from explaining who Yash Chopra is and which films he is responsible for to learning how the idea of Bollywood as a romance machine is something that only really began in the 1990s, The Romantics has teachable moments for fans of any degree. (And for what it’s worth, it’s also a subtle crash course in how much the “nepo baby” discourse can extend to Bollywood.)

What’s lacking is some insight into the musical aspect of Bollywood—one of the core tenets of India’s film culture at large. Some of the most exciting moments in the series are when classic songs play in the background as famous stars take their seats or talk about their experiences. Music is integral to the Bollywood experience. It’s possible that the series will speak to composers and lyricists in the last two installments, so the jury is still out on this aspect, but to exclude their contributions completely and not showcase how Chopra worked in this space would make the documentary feel incomplete.

Whether it’s Mundhra’s off-screen interviewing skills or the subjects’ eagerness to praise the illustrious director, the two episodes of The Romantics available to critics are chock full of anecdotes, interpretations, and a level of excitement and energy that is honestly contagious. While it’s streaming on Netflix, it would be just as fun to sing along to the tunes of our youth in a house-full theatrical show.

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: The end of episode one tees up the second episode featuring the interview with Aditya Chopra, with everyone from Abhishek Bachchan to Ranveer Singh feigning shock that he agreed to sit in front of the camera for once. The episode ends with an empty chair that the director will soon occupy.

Sleeper Star: As Chopra is no longer with us, the series hinges on the color that his collaborators can add. The late Rishi Kapoor gives some great insight into Chopra’s process and underscores his genius through sweet stories about their work together on set and the friendship outside of it.

Most Pilot-y Line: “Our cinema is as much a part of everyday life in India as waking up and brushing your teeth,” Shah Rukh Khan explains of the industry that catapulted him to fame.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Geared toward Bollywood superfans, there’s still a lot to love for anyone remotely interested in the Hindi film industry.

Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a TV-obsessed writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared on Vulture, Teen Vogue, Paste Magazine, and more. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.