Dilwale Dhulania Le Jayange (1995) was a major release by Yash Raj Films an Indian film production company started by the famous film director Yash Chopra who went on the direct many critically and commercially successful films in his time. DDLJ became highly successful and one of the first Hindi films to feature NRI protagonists who were born and brought up in London but still shared Indian values. The film having NRI's as main protagonists helped it became a big hit with the audiences of the west who loved Hindi films but didn't see a common factor with them. Critic Anupama Chopra said that ''Perhaps the innocence of Raj and Simran's romance in which they can spend the night together without sex because Raj, the British NRI understands the importance of an Indian woman’s honour. Perhaps it’s the way in which the film artfully reaffirms the patriarchal status quo and works for all constituencies—the NRI and the local viewer. Or perhaps it’s the magic of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol who created a template for modern love, which was hip and cool but resolutely Indian." She also calls the film a milestone that shaped Hindi cinema through the 1990s. 
Being perhaps the only film on the 90s to stand out amongst it contemporary's with it's main characters as NRI's however in recent years that has changed. Here are some films in the decade to feature NRI's has the main protagonists. Love Aaj Kal (2009) a light hearted comedy that talks about two couples and their respective love stories in two different generations. The modern day love story focuses on the couple Jai and Meera who live in London. The film contrasted a modern day love story with a love story set in a older period in India where love marriages where highly unlikely. The films was a success in India and abroad and the NRI story was liked by many modern couples in India.
Cocktail (2012) and Indian romantic comedy film was predominantly shot in London and featured the outgoing character Veronica played by Deepika Padukone. The films was a hit abroad and in India. Commercially and Deepika Padukone was critically lauded for her role as Veronica a young free spirited woman, living a independent life, willing to have no strings attached sex and not be bothered by the 'Indian values'. Rubina A Khan a critic gave the film 4/5 stars, saying that "Cocktail is a contemporary film that reflects life as it happens all around us…. just as crazy, twisted, beautiful, funny, weird and lonely as anyone's life can be. It's about easy choices and hard decisions and how life still goes on, despite it all. It's a cocktail you definitely wanna try!". The unconventional format of the film, the story between three friends who come to terms with some hard decisions in their life made it a hit with the Urban Indian audiences and mostly multiplexes based in big cities such as Mumbai or Delhi compared to the small town viewers who found this too forward for their taste. Aniruddha Guha of DNA India gave the movie 3.5/5 stars, stating that "The best thing about Cocktail is that it is as different as a film can get within a very conventional format. My favourite scene has Gautam talk to Veronica and Meera together about his feelings towards each of them. "Look. You love me. I love her. Let's sort this mess out." A rare moment in Hindi cinema."
Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012) another Yash Raj film and the last ever film to be directed by Yash Chopra himself who suddenly passed away while the post-production of the film. The film featured a love story between an Indian migrant Sameer and Meera and NRI born and brought up in rich affluent Indian family in London. Jab Tak Hai Jaan did very well at the Indian and Overseas box office. A love story between an Indian migrant and NRI was praised by Critic's as this was a very unconventional turn. The film grossed £1,619,356 at the UK box office. 
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