And they lived happily ever after? Not Quite!

While everyone wishes for a fairy tale realisation, not all love stories in Hindi cinema end on a pleasant note.

In a movie that came out not too long ago, we'll not take names, a madly-in-love couple meets with a tragic, unforeseen conclusion.

There's nothing novel about it.

Bollywood filmmakers have opted for a 'till death do us apart' brand of climax to uphold the greatness of a romance. It need not always work but presents itself as a risky alternative not all filmmakers are willing to take. Here's a look:

Kites

In Anurag Basu's ambitiously scaled Kites, Hrithik Roshan and Mexican hottie Barbara Mori play a pair of star-crossed lovers. After a lot of running against barren, photogenic landscapes, the duo realises it's just not meant to be.

And so Mori leaps into the valley of death with her light-eyed hero following suit just a few scenes after that.

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Although there's always an undercurrent of understanding that what they seek is impractical, their tenacious chemistry keeps it going.

It is, pretty much, what decides the ultimate course of their relationship in its final scene when Koirala, a human bomb and a besotted SRK decide if they cannot live together, they might as well die together. Boom.

Mansoor Khan's desi Romeo and Juliet introduced us to the charm and capabilities of Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla.

Their endearing interactions make this pair worth instantly rooting for. And hence it's particularly jarring when their Thakur daddies won't let it be, no thank to the enmity between the two families.

The youngsters have no choice but elope and set up a humble abode in the forsaken mountains. The villains, of course, don't let them stay in peace.

Juhi gets shot by a hitman hired by her own father and Aamir stabs himself to death with a knife once gifted by his ladylove.

Tragic.

Predominantly, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's underworld drama involving two brothers concerns itself with being just that.

Lending the stark storyline it's only lightness is the romance between childhood sweethearts played by Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit.

Which is why it is particularly shocking and disturbing to see the brutal, bullet-packed finish the newly married couple meets immediately after a passionate love-making session on a boat. 

It's so sudden, there's no time to react.

Like Ali Baba Aur Chalees Chor, Umesh Mehra's Sohni Mahiwal too was an Indo-Russia joint production starring Sunny Deol and Poonam Dhillon to portray the tragic romance, where the two drown to their death on a stormy night.

Despite the grand budget and lilting songs, Sohni Mahiwal failed to make an emotional connect with audience.

K Balachander's Ek Duuje Ke Liye combined with Laxmikant Pyarelal's soundtrack turned into a roaring success. But the cheery romance starring Kamal Haasan and newcomer Rati Agnihotri ends on an unbelievably sad note.

Just when you think the North-South divide that irks the parents has dissolved following their agreement and fulfillment of a year-long separation, unnecessary complications lead to a vicious assault on the young lovers and their subsequent suicide.

Khayyam's silvery score and Yash Chopra's dreamy treatment lends the Kashmiri romance, Noorie just the right blend of freshness and vivacity.

And while Farookh Shaikh's disarming appeal and Poonam Dhillon's innocent gaze in the infectious title track is what we remember best about the film, their on screen fate is much too severe than we'd like to believe.

Rishi Kapoor and Ranjeeta infuse life into the renowned legend of Laila Majnu with their spontaneous portrayal of a love struck couple hailing from enemy clans.

Even marriage to another cannot reduce their affections for each other.

Their mad obsession, ultimately, leads them in each other's arms, even if it's only to breathe their last.

There is much to admire in Chetan Anand's retelling of Punjab's legendary romance Heer Ranjha, which is entirely written in verse by poet Kaifi Azmi.

Raaj Kumar and Priya Rajvansh conduct their ill-fated relationship with grace and refinement in this gorgeously shot epic boasting of Madan Mohan's mellifluous score (Yeh duniya yeh mehfil, Milo na tum toh) and Pran as the wicked uncle who poisons the sweets putting an end to Heer-Ranjha's epic love story.

Harmesh Malhotra tried to recreate the magic with Anil Kapoor and Sridevi in its 1992 version but the film fell flat on its face.