The world has approximately 90 per cent of its area under rainfed conditions and the dry spells are the characteristics feature of this area which push crop towards water stress. Climate change scenarios predict extended periods of drought and this has emphasized that now we look towards the possibility of positive utilization water stress. However, no one review till date has published that focused on ways of positive utilization of water stress. This review focuses on such intensity and time of occurrence of stress in which a crop is benefited. The crop facing water stress have several changes at morphological and biochemical levels, and these changes not always be deleterious for crop. Fortunately, earlier literature showed that there are many positive effect associated with water stress. For instant trans-generational effects (parent crop during grain formation imposed to water stress and the seeds obtained from them have potential to withstand drought), increase in secondary metabolites, thereby potentially increasing plant defenses and the concentrations of compounds involved in plant quality, particularly taste and health benefits, increase in oil, fiber and protein content etc. Moreover, water stressed produced secondary metabolites has high marketing values (i.e. commercial bio-molecules). However, these positive effects are highly dependent on the degree and time of occurrence of water stress. This review also discusses degree and time of occurrence of water stress with corresponds to positive effects.