After a long time, we got to see some bold, hardcore cinema on-screen! ‘Ishqiya’ - Abhishek Chaubey’s debut directorial venture - surely strikes the right chord. Though there is a distinct mark of Vishal Bhardwaj on the film, Abhishek has managed to bring his own sensibility as well. The manner in which the rural landscape of UP has been presented comes across as quite fresh. In fact, one hardly gets to see such vitality in films nowadays. In keeping with the demands of the script, the characters have been given a deliberate rough edge, which makes them all the more convincing.
While watching ‘Ishqiya’, you do not feel that the scenes have just been shot and then compiled in a haphazard way. In fact, it seems as if each one of the sequences has been logically thought of. The editing is crisp and the short runtime, that of around two and a half hours, makes sure that you remain hooked on, all through. The dialogues of the film are witty, perky and even trite. Some of them also go above your head, because of the typical rustic language that has been employed. However, none of them seems to be unjustified or there just for the heck of it.
The movie has a perfect setting, with the characterization done in a way that it hardly seems you are watching a movie and the people onscreen are acting. The screenplay is too good, while the music does not give you any reason to complain. One of the best aspects of the ‘Ishqiya’ is its casting. Each one of the actors seems to have been made for his/ her role. Be it Vidya Balan as the widow or Salman Shahid as the don who has a soft heart, but tough exterior; all the actors get into the skin of the character completely, making the film all the more convincing!
Vidya Balan is certainly in a ‘never seen before’ role, in ‘Ishqiya’. The way her character has been sketched and the perfection with which Vidya has played it surely makes you fall in love with it! Moving on to the rest of the star cast, Arshad Warsi was back in form after a long time. He is perfect as the crook who realizes the meaning of love and betrayal, one after the other. As for the veteran Naseer; his scenes were a pure delight to watch. Adil Husain as Verma and Master Alok Kumar as Nandu are the other actors that deserve a special mention. This one is surely worth a dekko at the nearest multiplex!
Ishqiya Pre-release Review
‘Ishqiya’, which combines the genres of romance and suspense, is the maiden directorial venture of Abhishek Chaubey, The movie has been produced by Raman Maroo and Vishal Bharadwaj, who has also composed music for the film. The star ensemble of Ishqiya includes the veteran Naseeruddin Shah, talented Arshad Warsi and beautiful Vidya Balan in the main lead. The supporting actors include Salman Shahid and Anupama Kumar. The movie will hit the theatres on January 29, 2010.
‘Ishqiya’ is set in the backdrop of eastern Uttar Pradesh, narrating a romantic plot where individuals get entangled in a web of crime, suspense, passion and betrayal. Khalujan (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi) are two thieves on the run. They have locked horns with Mushtaq (Salman Shahid), their boss, who is now thirsty for their blood. Running for life, they plan to seek refuge at a friend’s place and escape further. However, they end up meet his widow Krishna (Vidya Balan). Destiny had other plans for them!
Krishna plays the perfect femme fatale and lures both Khalujan and Babban, who fall for her, without realizing her dubious intentions. While Khalujan love to see her through the old-fashioned lens, Babban has more of a lustful eye. Love blurs their vision and they fail to see through the smokescreen. However, once they realize that both have been tricked, they decide upon avenging themselves by killing Krishna? Will they be able to kill their deceiver and escape? The answers are to be unveiled only on January 29.
