The year 2026 has been rewarding for those who love romcoms. Even as I write this, I’ve finished watching my sixth or seventh romcom of the year. We will not even go into how many romantic/romantsy books I have read this year. Streaming platforms like Amazon Prime and Netflix have also recognised the pattern, and the incredible number of book-to-screen adaptations are proof enough. But I have often wondered why we love this genre of film/book so much. Whether there is some brain chemistry or neurological science behind it.
Because i thoroughly enjoy every moment I spend with it, and like many, I read and watch this form of art.
It is often claimed that those who love romance or rom-coms have attachment needs, loneliness, and a desire for connection or reassurance. “People have an inherent need to connect. For some people, Kakul explained that romantic tales might reassure them that closeness can happen even when they are lonely, have been through a breakup, or are uncertain about things.
That could be true, but not always, according to Mehezabin. Romance movies give people a chance to feel a sense of intimacy and acceptance when they feel lonely or insecure,” she said.
When these predictions come true, and a happy ending is revealed, it could be rewarding. So, I reached out to three experts: Mehezabin Dordi, clinical psychologist, Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital; Kakul Faruqi, psychologist and psychotherapist, senior consultant psychologist, Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital; and Dr Sachin Adukia, senior consultant neurologist, Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital. In an exclusive interview with HT Lifestyle, these three experts explained why rom-coms are so comforting. The reason for the success of romantic comedies goes beyond sentimentality, he explained, as it is related to how the brain processes reward, predicts future events, and communicates with others. He added, “Prediction is the basic function of the brain. In a love story, viewers make predictions concerning such typical events as confessing, reuniting, and running through the airport. This relation between prediction and emotional outcome explains the popularity of conventional romantic scenarios even though the neurophysiology of enjoying rom-coms remains uncertain. ‘Dopamine, commonly referred to as the brain’s pleasure neurotransmitter’ requires further clarification, Dr Sachin stressed. “Dopamine participates in motivation, learning, and prediction of rewards, rather than in generating happiness. In this way, romantic stories might engage brain functions such as predicting emotionally important events. Still, claiming that every romantic comedy provokes a dopamine spike is an exaggeration,” he added. She added, “Psychologically speaking, romantic comedies give us the chance to engage in the feelings of intimacy, anticipation, and vulnerability in a relatively risk-free setting. Mehezabin thinks it does, but only potentially. She explains, “Romantic stories might involve brain regions related to the processes of reward, motivation, and emotion. Anticipation and learning about rewarding events are linked to dopamine, and emotional scenes might affect neural circuits responsible for experiencing pleasure and social bonding. She added, “The elements of humour, suspense, and the prospect of a happy ending will add more enjoyment. However, we cannot assume that watching a romantic comedy will produce a reaction in our brains similar to falling in love. Meanwhile, Kakul Faruqi elaborated that rom-coms or the romance genre can engage processes involved in pleasure and reward. She stated, “Brain-imaging research shows that humour activates reward-related regions, including the nucleus accumbens. This supports a plausible explanation for part of a rom-com’s appeal, although it is not direct evidence about the genre itself. It would be an overstatement to say that watching romance produces the same brain response as falling in love, or guarantees a particular dopamine or oxytocin release. She explained, “It is argued in the research on the impact of media and social learning that repeated exposure to certain kinds of portrayals can influence the perceptions of people concerning their relationships. When certain kinds of portrayals are considered as being realistic, then it might be that people come to believe that certain things are part and parcel of romantic relationships. These things include jealousy as evidence of love, persistence as romance, and solving conflicts in one big move. Kakul agreed, adding, “Research has linked romantic media viewing with some idealised beliefs about relationships, although associations do not establish that viewing caused those beliefs. Repeated narratives may make ideas such as ‘there is one perfect person’ or ‘love conquers every obstacle’ feel more familiar and persuasive. However, she added a disclaimer noting that ‘existing beliefs and the reasons someone watches also matter; audiences do not absorb every message in the same way’. Mehezabin stated that this could be possible, especially when ‘fiction is taken as the measuring yardstick of romance in reality’. As for Kakul, she stated that in therapy, an important distinction is between a preference and a demand. She explained, “’I would love my partner to understand me’ is different from ‘They must understand without my explaining’. Dr Sachin also agrees, stressing that entertainment is not a relationship manual. “In a world that rarely follows a script, it gives the brain a little anticipation, the heart a little hope, and the imagination permission to believe that, occasionally, love gets the final scene. Entertainment through familiarity in jokes, music, and conversations can be a ritual for people after a long and tough day,” Dr Sachin stated, explaining the fascination towards rom-coms. Lastly, he added that while repetitive romance movies can create expectations, their impact will be determined by an individual’s experience, culture, and personal relationships. So, maybe next time you pick a romance/rom-com film or a book, just enjoy the little dose of hope it brings, without expecting real life to follow a fictional script.
This is due to the common plot of romantic comedies, in which all the confusion and problems that arise are sorted out in order to achieve happiness.
In films like Notting Hill and Bridget Jones’ Diary, the audience experiences emotional uncertainty that culminates in an uplifting conclusion, a rarity in everyday life, according to Dr Sachin Adukia. In romantic comedies, we have the chance to experience a blend of emotions such as connection, joy, hope, and certainty, according to Mehezabin Dordi. It does, according to Mehezabin. “In reality, relationships take time and effort, including communication, compromise, and emotion regulation,” she explained, adding that ordinary relationships might become dull when fiction is taken as a yardstick. “Nonetheless, fiction can bring hope to people and remind them of important values,” she noted.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
