'Love Aaj Kal' has two plots about love, but they are drastically different in nature. The first part of the story has Saif Ali Khan's character playing a Sardar in a village in Punjab, where he is in love with a village woman. According to a source that worked on the movie, "In the olden times, love was very different from what it is today. At that time people were happy with loving someone in their hearts, from a distance. People believed in love at first sight. Everything was very discreet and coy. There was no urge to actually get to know or get physical with the object of one's affection. Arranged marriages that lasted forever were a way of life."

The second plot in 'Love Aaj Kal' has a different twist to it. In that plot, Saif Ali Khan plays a character that's the complete opposite of the previous one. Saif Ali Khan plays a contemporary, suave and macho dude, similar to what he is in real life. His character is based in London in a time where people perceive love much differently. They want to get to know that person; physical attraction and its manifestation are very strong. There is no guarantee that love will last forever. People have many more problems and things are more complicated than they were before. There is a love triangle between Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and British actress Florence Brudenell-Bruce.

A Movie like this is where Imtiaz Ali's cinematic style is said to flourish. According to the source "Imtiaz's signature style touches with unusual situations and genuinely funny dialogues." Love Aaj Kal is said to be a study of love, how it was a few generations ago and how it is today. "That is why it has been titled Love Aaj Kal," says the source.