PART 1

I. How will Indians date in 2025? Seven hot trends

Romance and dating have been timeless, inspiring love, connection and creativity across generations. With online and offline experiences increasingly intertwined, dating has become a space where self-expression and aspirations come together to build meaningful relationships. In 2025, the Indian dating landscape is poised for significant transformations, breaking traditional norms and embracing authenticity. Let us look into some key game-changing drifts.

Empowered women redefining dating: One of the most significant shifts in 2025 will be independent and financially stable women shaping their dating narratives. With increasing financial independence and evolving societal norms, women are prioritising their preferences and confidently expressing their desires. This empowerment fosters a culture of transparency and informed decision-making. The trend reflects a blend of traditional values and modern aspirations, emphasising on autonomy while respecting familial bonds.

Cultural chemistry: In India, dating trends are leaning towards finding a ‘cultural fit’ among individuals, reflecting a blend of modern preferences and traditional values. As young Indians embrace online dating, they are not only looking for shared interests but also for partners who align with their cultural backgrounds, family expectations and lifestyle choices.

Old school dating: Amid the rapid rise of online dating apps, many young Indians are rediscovering the charm of old-school romance. From handwritten love notes to face-to-face connections, there’s a growing nostalgia for slow-paced dating that values meaningful relationships over instant gratification. This trend resonates with the cultural emphasis on building deep connections, ensuring that relationships stand the test of time.

Mainstreaming dating: In metropolitan and urban areas, dating has moved out of its taboo status, for which the credit goes to cultural acceptance and the influence of digital platforms. Individuals now openly embrace their choices, reflecting a departure from conservative norms, creating a more inclusive and accepting environment for relationships to grow.

Beyond metros: Aspiring urban centres are quickly catching up with dating. With increasing internet access and urban migration, singles in these regions are adopting progressive dating norms. However, they seek a unique blend of traditional values while embracing the modern approach to dating. Familial bonds and structures continue to influence their decision-making when finding a partner, ensuring that their relationships align with both personal aspirations and cultural expectations.

Generational perspectives: Generational differences will continue to shape dating trends. Gen Z singles often adopt the NATO (Not Attached to Outcomes) philosophy, favouring experimental dating while being clear about exploring meaningful connections without the pressure of adding labels. This marks a shift from casual dating to a more open-ended exploration of relationships. On the other hand, millennials exhibit a sense of urgency, seeking connections grounded in long-term compatibility and shared values. Both generations, while distinct, reflect the broader narrative of India’s dating future – a harmonious blend of individuality and tradition.

A modern dating landscape: The Indian dating landscape promises to celebrate individuality, authenticity and emotional growth. While singles are shifting their focus from superficial connections to building relationships rooted in shared values, mutual respect and genuine companionship, societies are evolving and redefining how we see dating as a concept. India’s future of dating continues to be connected to its roots. As these roots are unique, they influence the emergence of different trends across generations and regions. This year is set to pave the way for a more inclusive and heartfelt approach to dating and relationships.

II. The Death of Love: Why Soulmates Are a Dangerous Myth

Love. Everyone grows up believing it’s the answer to everything—a magical force that completes us, saves us, and lasts forever. Fairy tales sold the dream of soulmates, of effortless connection, and of happily ever after. But as life unfolds, reality tells a different story. Love isn’t a perfect ending. The idea of soulmates, of someone who’s meant to be the solution to all problems, is a myth that sets people up for disappointment. It creates expectations that no one can live up to and leaves hearts broken when the fantasy falls apart.

Love was once sold as a fairytale. A prince, a princess, a rescue, and a happily ever after. A simple story, woven with glittering threads of hope and promise. But with time, the veil lifts, and love reveals itself as fleeting—a fragile dream that shatters under the weight of reality. The idea of “happily ever after” is a a thing. It teaches hearts to expect perfection, to believe that love is enough to heal all wounds, silence all fears, and withstand all storms. But love, in its rawest form, is far messier than that. It is selfish, it is flawed, and it is painfully human.

1. Selfish Love

Love today is controlling, seeking personal fulfillment, not selflessness.

Love today carries conditions, hidden beneath declarations of affection. People cherish others not for who they are but for how they fit into a personal fantasy. And just as hearts are won, they are unchosen, discarded when no longer convenient. True love, selfless and rare, has become misunderstood. It isn’t about sleepless nights filled with yearning or the rush of emotions that come with infatuation. True love sacrifices; it places another’s happiness above all else. Pain is felt when their heart aches, and joy becomes their smile. But the love of today is controlling, selfish—a force that seeks to reshape another, erasing individuality to fit a constructed ideal.

2. The Internet

Digital distractions make love feel shallow and disconnected.

The fairy tales never imagined a world of swipes, likes, and endless possibilities. In this digital age, love competes with a sea of distractions, each one shinier than the last. People no longer treasure what they have but instead search endlessly for what might be better. The search for sparks becomes futile when the fire within is extinguished. The ache for more—better, newer—stems from a loss of purpose, leaving hearts restless and disconnected. And so, love becomes another escape, a fleeting attempt to fill an ever-growing void.

3. Devotion

True devotion fades, leaving scars and lingering doubts.

Devotion once meant enduring storms and standing firm, even when the ground beneath trembled. It was worshipful, sacred—a love that asked for nothing and gave everything. Today, devotion often fades with difficulty. The moment a heart cries for help, it risks abandonment. Those who leave take more than their presence—they leave behind scars that whisper unspoken doubts: not enough, unworthy, unloved. And yet, love persists, even in the face of betrayal.

4. Patience

Modern love lacks patience and becomes unbalanced and exhausting.

True love is patient, gentle, and kind. It nurtures, forgives, and explains, handling the beloved with care, as though they are the most precious gift in existence. Love waits—not because it must, but because it chooses to. But in the modern world, patience is overshadowed by convenience. One partner forgives, again and again, while the other refuses to learn. Forgiveness becomes exhaustion, and love becomes unbalanced. When the patient soul finally leaves, it is not out of anger but love—a love that lets go, knowing it can no longer endure.

5. Letting Go

Letting go is an act of love, setting someone free.

Love that endures sees imperfections and cherishes them. It accepts flaws and embraces the whole, even when the whole is broken. Yet, sometimes, love demands release—not out of rejection, but devotion. Letting go is an act of selflessness. It means seeing the beloved’s struggles and setting them free, even when it breaks every part of the heart. It’s a quiet kind of courage, a love that whispers, “Be happy, even if it’s without me.” But in today’s world, the cycle of toxic relationships persists. People hold onto chaos, mistaking it for passion, unwilling to face the silence of being alone. Love becomes a game of holding on too tightly, suffocating the very thing it seeks to protect.

6. The Strength of Forgiveness

Forgiveness heals, offering peace despite betrayal or hurt.

Forgiveness becomes the ultimate act of love—not for the one who caused the pain, but for the one who carries it. Forgiveness does not erase the ache, nor does it forget the betrayal. It releases the weight, allowing the heart to heal. The memory of love remains, even when it is no longer deserved. A quiet acceptance lingers—a wish for happiness, for peace, for joy, even when those gifts are shared with someone else. True love, rare and resilient, asks for nothing in return. Love, with all its beauty and cruelty, teaches the hardest lessons. It is patient, it is kind, but it is also flawed, human, and painfully real. Yet, even in its darkest moments, love endures. In the wreckage of shattered dreams, hope remains—a quiet, unyielding promise that love, though broken, still holds the power to heal.

End of Part I… to be continued