Even if you have never watched an Indian movie ever in your life, you might identify it as a “movie with a cheesy and unrealistic plot line where characters intermittently break into signing and dancing.” I am not going to say that if you picked up a popular Indian movie off of the shelf that it would not fit the description you see. However, I think it’s important to understand that this is a very surface-level description of Bollywood. There are other reasons why I love Bollywood movies and if you give them a chance, maye you will too.

1. The Attractive Actors

If you do not find Hrithik Roshan in Dhoom 2 attractive, I don’t know if you and I can be friends. Seriously, look him up. Drop-dead gorgeous. Although Hrithik serves as the poster boy for the “Attractive Bollywood Actors” club, there are plenty of people that other Indian girls may add to the list including but not limited to: Siddharth Malhotra (watch “Punjabi Wedding Song”), Varun Dhawan (watch “Manma Emotion Jaage Re”), Ranbir Kapoor, even (watch “Badtameez Dil”). Even the actresses can be attractive, and Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra will forever be my women crush every day. They are all set to take on Hollywood and will be appearing in movies soon!

2. The "Singing and Dancing"

Sure, some of the dancing is extremely random and seems to be thrown in out of nowhere. However, if you are interested in ever attending an Indian wedding, graduation party, or birthday party (trust me, you want to, they are a blast), then you better get used to these songs. If a song is catchy, then people will dance to the song. They’ll dance to it for the sentimental piece of choreography that the friends of the bride/graduating student/birthday guy or girl. They will play it in the background as you sit and eat food. Rest be assured, you will be dancing to it on the dance floor. So will everyone else: from kids to Indian uncles and aunties. So just enjoy the beat and don’t think too much on the words and I promise you’ll have fun.

3. SRK-Kajol

I will have to call you out on lying if you tell me that you don’t think SRK-Kajol make the most amazing pair on the movie screen. These two, although not married, are best friends because they have acted together in so many movies as the romantic pair that the bar for Indian boys is set very high in the minds of almost all Indian girls. Shahrukh Khan’s (known as SRK) lines to Kajol and every cheesy music (from Tujhe Dekha to Ye Jana Sanam to the recent Gerua) are pretty much some of the most romantic things ever.

4. It isn't always cheesy.

It’s a common misconception that all Indian movies have reused story lines that can grow old and tiring for many. I am here to tell you that this is not necessarily always true. There are plenty of movies that are real tearjerkers and tell stories that are absolutely beautiful. For example, take Barfi. It is more than just a cute movie about the love between a deaf and mute boy and an autistic girl, but also about how two different people can find comfort in each other. And if you don’t shed even one tear watching Tare Zameen Par, the story of how a dyslexic child whose learning disabilities weren’t accepted by his parents and was sent to boarding school where he finally makes a connection with a temporary art teacher, then I am not even sure what to say to you. Recently, there was a biopic released called Neerja, about Neerja Bhanot, a young flight attendant who saved the lives of hundreds aboard a Pan Am plane that was hijacked. These kinds of movies bring to light topics and stories that are not discussed enough in India and brave directors and actors take on the responsibility to tell these stories.

You may or may not be convinced yet, but I challenge you to go check out of one of the movies or songs I mentioned above. I promise you, Bollywood will soon grow on you.