Raj's Romantic Journey in The Big Bang Theory - A Spectacular Ranking

Throughout The Big Bang Theory, Raj Koothrappali had an abundance of girlfriends, making it difficult to determine which one was most suitable for the astrophysicist. However, as the series concluded with promising futures for all the couples, Raj's love life remained a different story. Despite his romantic and endearing nature, Raj's relationships always seemed to end in disaster. Perhaps he wasn't the catch that many viewers believed him to be. Raj's clinginess, obsession, and overly affectionate behavior towards his dog may have played a role in his inability to find lasting happiness. Despite numerous opportunities, Raj never achieved his happily ever after by the end of The Big Bang Theory.

14 Missy

Sheldon's twin sister, Missy Cooper, may not have been officially considered one of the Raj girlfriend characters on the Big Bang Theory, but she did catch the attention of the astrophysicist. Introduced in season 1, episode 15, "The Porkchop Indeterminacy," Missy enters the scene and unbeknownst to Sheldon, his friends are immediately smitten by her charm.

In an effort to overcome his anxiety around women, Raj resorts to an experimental medication. This newfound confidence allows him to finally ask Missy out, who affectionately refers to him as a "cutie-pie." However, as the effects of the medication start to wear off, Raj's hopes are shattered and he leaves feeling rejected.

13 Bernadette

Raj's infatuation with Bernadette stands out as the most peculiar among all of his love interests in The Big Bang Theory. Throughout season 4, Raj harbors an unrequited crush on Bernadette, indulging in Bollywood-style song and dance fantasies, numerous daydreams, and even writing poems expressing his feelings for her.

Naturally, this situation becomes incredibly uncomfortable considering that Bernadette is in a relationship with Raj's best friend, Howard. Eventually, both Howard and Bernadette discover Raj's affections. Fortunately, Bernadette does not become one of Raj's girlfriends, and the storyline reaches its climax with her confronting Raj firmly about his behavior.

12 Penny

Penny, a character from The Big Bang Theory, is not technically one of Raj's girlfriends. However, in the season 4 finale, there is a moment where it appears they have a one-night stand. It is well-known that all the guys, except for Sheldon, have a crush on Penny. Despite this, Penny and Leonard eventually end up together. However, there is a slight complication when it seems that Penny and Raj had a fling. At the time, Leonard is dating Raj's sister Priya, which adds to the tension between Raj and Penny. One night, after consuming too much wine, Raj and Penny end up getting romantically involved. Both feel guilty about it, and this guilt becomes a recurring theme in The Big Bang Theory. However, fans were relieved to discover that, although they woke up together, they did not actually have sex.

11 Elizabeth

Dr. Elizabeth Plimpton, the newest girlfriend of Raj in The Big Bang Theory, is portrayed by TV and film actress Judy Greer. She plays the role of a cosmological physicist who is being considered for a position at the prestigious California Institute of Technology. Both Sheldon and Leonard are captivated by her intelligence, as she has authored a groundbreaking book that impresses them both. However, it is later revealed that Dr. Plimpton is also a nymphomaniac.

In an attempt to seduce Leonard, she succeeds and then proceeds to propose a four-way encounter involving Howard and Raj. Feeling uneasy about the situation, Raj devises an escape plan for Leonard and Howard. However, once they leave, Raj eventually succumbs to Dr. Plimpton's advances.

10 Emily

Raj had two different romantic relationships with Emilys throughout The Big Bang Theory. In season five, he started dating Emily after being introduced to her by Penny. What made Emily unique to Raj was the fact that she was deaf. This aspect helped Raj overcome his selective mutism and allowed him to be more comfortable and open with her. Unfortunately, Raj made the mistake of expressing his love for her too soon, which put strain on their relationship.

During their time together, Raj went above and beyond for Emily. He paid off her credit card bills, bought her expensive jewelry, and even leased her a new car. It soon became clear that this Raj girlfriend from Big Bang Theory was only interested in him for his wealth. To make matters worse, when Raj's father cut him off financially, Emily showed no interest in Raj and they ultimately ended their relationship (after facing criticism from Penny and Howard).

9 Lakshmi

In the fifth season of The Big Bang Theory, viewers were introduced to Raj's girlfriend Lakshmi, whom his parents had arranged for him to meet on a blind date. Initially, Raj was captivated by Lakshmi's beauty and her ties to his family, sparking his excitement about the potential for an arranged marriage. However, his enthusiasm quickly waned when he discovered that Lakshmi was actually a lesbian and had been using him as a cover.

Lakshmi's misguided belief that a marriage arranged with Raj could have been successful stemmed from her assumption that Raj was also gay. Despite the fact that this couldn't have been further from the truth, Raj had contemplated marrying her solely for the sake of being able to say he was married, even though there was no emotional or physical connection between them. Ultimately, this storyline involving Raj in The Big Bang Theory proved to be one of the many perplexing narratives that left viewers questioning its coherence.

8 Lalita

Lalita, the girlfriend character from The Big Bang Theory, only went on one date with Raj. This particular date was one of the first instances in which audiences saw Raj and understood why he had been single for so long. Raj and Lalita had known each other since childhood and were set up on a blind date by their parents. However, due to Raj's selective mutism, he felt the need to consume alcohol in order to gather the courage to go on the date.

Unfortunately, Raj ended up getting excessively drunk during their outing, which was a major turn-off for Lalita. Despite their potential as a charming couple, Raj's unpleasant behavior hindered any chance of a successful relationship. Both of their families were acquainted with each other, they had grown up together, and they both found themselves in California. Nevertheless, Lalita became just one of the many Raj relationships that were abruptly cut short.

7 Ruchi

The relationship between Raj and the character Ruchi from Big Bang Theory, Raj's girlfriend, felt contrived to viewers. Ruchi was introduced in the 11th season as the new girl in town, temporarily replacing Bernadette who was on bed rest with her second child. Initially, Bernadette liked Ruchi, but she soon realized that Ruchi might be attempting to usurp her position at work.

Meanwhile, Raj is completely infatuated with Ruchi and fails to see that she is only interested in being friends. However, this eventually leads to them sleeping together and entering into a casual fling. When Raj interferes in Ruchi's work with Bernadette, she becomes offended, ultimately leading to the end of their relationship.

6 Lucy

The relationship between Raj and Lucy was bound to fail from the beginning due to their deep insecurities. Despite this, Lucy was a fan-favorite among Raj's girlfriends in TBBT. Their first encounter took place at the comic book store, but their initial date ended abruptly when Lucy escaped through the bathroom window.

It was later revealed that Lucy suffered from severe social anxiety, which greatly affected her interactions with Raj. Despite Raj's efforts to make the relationship work, Lucy continued to run away or Raj attempted to be someone he wasn't. If they had been able to trust and support each other, their relationship had the potential to be secure and filled with love.

5 Anu

Raj, tired of his unsuccessful love life, sought his father's assistance in the 12th season. He then embarked on an arranged marriage journey with a Californian woman named Anu. Many had high hopes for their relationship, believing it had great potential.

Interestingly, Raj and Anu had a strong bond despite their differences. Anu, being more organized and assertive, complemented Raj's personality well. However, as their courtship lacked romance, Raj felt the need to slow down and explore dating before committing to marriage. Despite this, they managed to make their relationship work and appeared lovely together, although it wasn't true love. Unfortunately, their connection faltered when Anu relocated to London while Raj remained in Pasadena.

4 Issabella

Despite only going on one date, Issabella stood out as one of the more promising girlfriends Raj had during his time on Big Bang Theory. Their paths crossed at the university one late night when Raj was working and she was cleaning. There was an undeniable connection between them, prompting Raj to offer his assistance around campus as a way to spend more time together.

Despite Raj's numerous attempts to ask her out, Issabella consistently turned him down. In a surprising turn of events, Raj decided to bring the date to her, and they ended up sharing a meal in his office. However, when Leonard mistakenly assumed that Raj had met another astronomer, Raj chose not to correct him. Unfortunately, this led to Issabella discovering that Raj was ashamed of her job, ultimately leading to the end of their relationship. If Raj hadn't insulted her career choices, there could have been a chance for this duo to become an adorable couple.

3 Nell

Nell, one of the beloved characters from The Big Bang Theory, seemed to be a perfect match for Raj. Their paths crossed in season 11 when Nell attended one of Raj's planetarium shows. She exuded confidence and openly expressed her admiration for the show, even taking a selfie with Raj. As their relationship progressed, Raj was enamored by Nell's affectionate nature.

What set Nell apart from Raj's previous girlfriends was her approachability. Unfortunately, there was a complication in their relationship. Nell was still legally married, having recently separated from her husband just two weeks prior. Despite this obstacle, Raj and Nell continued seeing each other. However, their romance came to an abrupt halt when Nell's ex-husband reached out to Raj, marking the end of their time together.

2 Emily

Emily Sweeney, Raj's long-term and most significant girlfriend on Big Bang Theory, had a rocky start with him relying on Amy as a means of communication through a dating website. However, they eventually developed feelings for each other. Unlike the other girlfriends, Emily didn't socialize with the group and had a particular dislike for Penny due to her past one-night stand with Raj. Emily preferred to keep her distance and also didn't appreciate Sheldon's treatment. Prior to dating Bernadette, Howard had an unsuccessful blind date with Emily. Despite their differences, Raj's fondness for Legally Blonde clashed with Emily's darker and creepier interests. Ultimately, Raj followed his heart and ended the relationship to pursue Claire.

1 Claire

Claire was not only Raj's friend and lover, but also his ex-partner. However, she was undeniably his ideal match and the best girlfriend character for Raj in The Big Bang Theory. Their relationship began as a purely platonic one, as Claire, a screenwriter, sought Raj's expertise as an astrophysicist for a children's sci-fi movie she was writing. As their friendship grew, so did their romantic feelings, with Raj developing a liking for her first.

The complication arose from the fact that both Claire and Raj had on-again, off-again relationships with their respective exes. Nevertheless, what truly stood out in Claire and Raj's relationship was their remarkable honesty with each other. Raj had never been so forthcoming and transparent as he was with Claire. Although he may have felt slightly self-conscious about their undefined relationship, it surprisingly worked for them. Unfortunately, Claire and Raj's time together was short-lived, and she never made another appearance on the show after their mutual decision to end things. Despite this, out of all of Raj's girlfriends in The Big Bang Theory, Claire was undoubtedly the perfect match for him.