Ishqiya is One to Watch

When the maker of Kaminey and Omkara pairs one of the most touted newcomers, actually known for her acting capability, and a great veteran actor the expectations are bound to be high. Movie in point, Ishqiya.

The catchy story is based in Gorakhpur, where Krishna (Vidya Balan), the widow of a convict resides. Babban (Arshad Warsi) and his beloved Khaalu Jaan (Naseeruddin Shah) are thieves on the run from their impending death at the hands of their boss, Mushtaq. They land up on her doorstep hoping to seek refuge with an old friend only to learn of his death.

She gives them shelter in bargain for some company in the lonely house. Unfortunately, Mushtaq discovers them all too quickly, and when the Uncle-Nephew duo fail to find the money which they had hidden in the house, he gives them a second chance. Turns out that the innocent, melodious-voiced Krishna has the mind of a kidnapper. As she helps them work out a plan for fast money, an odd chemistry unfolds between the characters.

The multiple shades of Krishna pique the interest of the viewer as much as it does the two thieves. This calls for a few tastefully shot romantic and passionate scenes played out to ‘Dil toh bachcha hai‘. One woman catching the fancy of two men always poses a problem and a rift is created between the pair of thieves. As more characters are introduced, the slow moving story progresses into a quicker pace. One revelation after another build to a final unmasking and the true intentions and images of the characters are revealed.

‘Ishq’ is the force that drives the plots, deceit and revenge in the story. When Krishna says ‘Ishq mein sab jayaz hai‘  she justifies the choice of the title as well. Crude humor and unabashedly shameless characters make it amusing. The liberal use of swear words is balanced out by the melodious tunes. While the screenplay could have been better to make it more gripping it wasn’t disappointing either. Director Abhishek Chaubey definitely makes a memorable debut.

Vidya gets maximum scope for the impersonation of her character. Each emotion and intention reflects in those expressive eyes. The character of Babban is one that Arshad Warsi has played quite a few times and has almost perfected it. Naseeruddin Shah is a master of his art and that goes without saying. The chemistry, despite an offbeat star cast, is palpable.

An unpredictable story where love unexpectedly predominates.

Contributed by Raashi Malhotra