Ranbir Kapoor as unrequited lover-boy

Do we see a psychological pattern here? What's it with Ranbir Kapoor playing the spurned lover over and over again?

He started his career with Saawariya where he worshipped the ground that Sonam Kapoor walked on, but she had eyes only for Salman.

Then in Bachna Ae Haseeno, Deepika Padukone said a flat 'no' to Ranbir's proposal. And now, in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, Ranbir again tries to woo the girl with his one-sided attention by almost playing Katrina Kaif's faithful poodle, hanging around her unconditionally.

Rajkumar Santoshi, who returns to comedy after 15 years, says he wanted Ranbir to play the unrequited lover-boy with a difference. "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is a film about an unrequited love. I didn't want Ranbir to play the loser in love like a tragic hero. Chaplin and Ranbir's grandfather Raj Kapoor excelled in playing tragic losers in love. I don't think the youngsters identify with it."

Hasn't Ranbir already done the role of an unrequited lover in Saawariya? Santoshi agrees, "Yes, but not in this zany and upbeat way. Though Ranbir's character loses out in love, he doesn't lose heart for even a second. He remains blindly devoted and besotted right till the end while Katrina just keeps taking him for granted."

Quite like Sonam in Saawariya.