Everything's changing these days and so are love stories on the small screen. In fact, the love angles are quite hatke.

In Mann Ki Awaaz...Pratigya, an old man marries a teenager, in Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, a senior doctor is attracted to an intern but suppresses his feelings for her because of their huge age gap, in Bade Achhe Laggte Hai, it's a compromise marriage between a 33-year-old woman and a much older rich, overweight man. In Parichay, the male protagonist gets married to his younger brother's fiancee, in Baba Aiso Var Dhoondo, a guy gets married to a vertically challenged girl, in Phulwa - a female dacoit falls in love with a police inspector, in Sasural Simar Ka, the younger sister sits in the mandap while the actual bride goes to a dance competition on the day of her marriage. And not just this, Maryada... Lekin Kab Tak? talks about the romance between a gay couple. How two young men are in love with each other, but have to suppress their feelings.

Clearly, audiences too, are open to new love stories. Of course, among these shows, not all are doing well in terms of ratings but there's at least an attempt to do something different. Says writer-producer, Raakesh Paswan, of Baba Aiso Var Dhoondo, who feels a change was required from the love stories which were becoming predictable. "These days show makers are working hard to provide different content keeping in mind the cut-throat competition. Novelty is the key factor now," avers he.

With so much happening on television, extraordinary love stories stand out and break the mould, believes producer, Rashmi Sharma. Actress Kritika Kamra agrees, "A predictable storyline or a repackaged story from an older format doesn't really click."

Audiences have their own take. "It's not like we are wanting to see only these hatke stories. What we like is a good romantic story, which has interesting scenes and good actors," says Bhavna Mehta, a housewife. The one problem with television is the repetitiveness and that's something viewers don't like. "If a Bade Achhe... focussing on older romance clicks, you can't have more serials on the same theme. It gets repetitive," reveals Dhriti Pandi, a bank official.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/Unique-love-stories-ruling-the-small-screen/articleshow/10415034.cms