Ishqiya

There are many among the new 'cool' generation, who use Desi as a derogatory term in their conversations. Thanks to Vishal Bhardwaj, Desi is the new cool :). Some Bollywood lovers call him Quentin Tarantino of Bollywood, which I fail to understand. Without any disrespect to him and his fans, i would say that I have not seen a lot of Tarantino's work, so i do not know care who he is. However, if we are comparing Vishal Bhardwaj with him, he has to be good :) Having said that, this post is not about Vishal Bhardwaj and he has not directed Ishqiya. It is directed by his protegé Abhishek Chaubey, who does not deny that the movie has Vishal Bhardwaj stamp on it. If you have any doubts about the debuting director's potential, the first few scenes in the movie will answer all of them.

The starting scene of the movie tells a lot about the competent director. The main protagonist of the movie will get you hooked right from this very first scene. You will instantly come to know that you are watching something special. Everything from the sets, costumes, mannerisms and language is so refreshingly different and I am not talking about the much talked about abuses. Yes, abuses are there but they are just a small prop in a large structure. The still water, holy cows, grasslands, dusty roads, glowing eyes of the villagers are captured beautifully. The rustic visuals create an old world charm throughout the movie.

There is no dull moment in the movie. It moves at a brisk pace with smooth transition from one scene to another largely because of the crisp writing. The dialogues are quirky and witty at the same times. That is the most fabulous part of the script. The wit in the dialogues is not forced to put some light humor,it is there because the situation is like that. No one is trying to tell a joke (apart from one latifa as the last wish before death :D) and there are no caricature like comic characters.

Dialogues are witty but they have deep meanings also. It is a very deadly combination to have. Watch out for the one liners on sexism, caste-ism and such wide-ranging topics. I am really inclined to give some examples, but I do not want to add spoilers here. The director touches the most sensitive topics affecting our country like naxalism, law and order, fanaticism in the deepest of manners with just few one liners here and there. And the beauty of all this is, you will be giggling on those dialogues. What audacity !! One of the things which makes the movie hugely enjoyable is its music. We all know what happens when Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar combine for an album. The starting scene which i mentioned earlier has Vidya balan humming the song Ab mujhe koi intezaar kahan which is sensual in its unique way. Ibn-E-Batuta kicks the start credits with lot of chutzpah and élan. Then there is a classical song in melodious voice of Rekha Bhardwaj, this is exactly the kind of song we do not hear that often in our movies and yearn for those. And then comes the song of the album, i would dare say that this is the song of the year (i know it is just January .. but still) Dil to bachha hai Ji. What a song, what a fantastic piece of art !! , I think it is one of those songs that will remain in the pubic memory for a long long time. The background score is just about perfect for a thriller. And yes, the use of the songs from the past, which i think is Vishal Bhardwaj way of giving tribute to the Classics is incorporated to elevate the impact of the scenes to another level.

The kind of movie Ishqiya is, it relies heavily on performances. And that is where the casting team of the movie scores the brownie points. Every character fits the part to the T. Right from the child artist to the old woman with the torch have a sense of participation in carrying forward the movie. The goofy don played by Salman Shahid makes us laugh without making any apparent effort towards doing so. Coming to the lead trio, There is no doubt that Arshad Warsi is one of the most underutilized actors in Bollywood. He has really side-splitting lines and he delivers them with aplomb. It is time that the industry gives him the roles, which he is worthy of. Naseeruddin Shah expresses every characteristic of an aging man who falls for a young woman so wonderfully that the viewer almost tends to believe that he has a genuine chance against his younger competitor :). You have to just watch his expressions of his likeness for Krishnaji and the way he tries to woo her is so endearing. Vidya Balan is playing a character which requires her to look madly in love, vulnerable & helpless yet tough & menacing, epitome of grace yet wild & seductive. And at times the camera just had to focus on her face and she manages to express all those wide-ranging emotions without uttering a word ! If this is not class, tell me what is? I just wish she makes the right moves; She has all the ingredients of becoming an all time great.

Ishqiya is the true Indian movie. It celebrates the rural heartlands of India with lot of spunk and style. The only complain i have with Ishqiya is that it ends too soon :) Team Ishqiya, take a bow !!

Ishqiya tells the story of two petty thieves and one young and strong-minded widow. It is a crime thriller cum love triangle and it's rather satirical throughout. It is written by two talents, Vishal Bhardwaj and Abhishek Chaubey, who had previously scripted together such great movies as Omkara and Kaminey, only that this time the one who directs this feature is not Bhardwaj, but Chaubey, who was his assistant. The movie is set in a rustic village in Uttar Pardesh, and Chaubey skillfully captures the atmosphere of this wild rural region. The strength of this film lies in the twisted and multi-layered script and the rather serene narrative style which is flavoured by soulful musical numbers and a touch of dark humour. The witty and well-honed dialogues, the sophisticated camera work, the colourful characters, and the breathtaking cinematography, give the film an engagingly suspenseful yet authentic feel. Ishqiya is highly unpredictable thanks to the many underlying secrets it contains, and they are revealed in very surprising turns, which are more of puzzle pieces. In the meanwhile it gives the audience a chance to watch a true triangular love story, which is brought out on in an ironic sort of way.

That's what makes it an overall enjoyable piece, and it certainly would not have been possible without the film's three leads. It is Vidya Balan who stands out and steals every single of her scenes in her restrained and understated portrayal of the mysterious, highly appealing, deeply yet quietly tormented Krishna. Her presence alone says it all, at times so much that her words are not as needed. Her wordless expressions convey so much of her essence that her true feelings and inner devastation are easily uncovered. Not to forget that she looks smashing hot in her traditional and simple looks, which is only aided by the cryptic screen persona she creates. Both Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi play their roles convincingly, and Salman Shahid provides good support in a negative comic role. Ishqiya feels very much a Vishal Bhardwaj film, and well, he is also the film's producer and music director. The soundtrack is a treat and the songs give life to the film, with such numbers as "Dil To Bachcha Hai" enhancing the narrative. The ending lets the viewers make their own conclusions, but I still wish there was some catharsis, which never came. Anyway, Ishqiya is overall an entertaining film, so I recommend.

Movie Review: Ishqiya (Hindi) 107

If the promos were to be believed, this could have been one of the best made movies of the year. Who could predict that a movie that starred the immensely talented Naseeruddin Shah, Vidya Balan and Arshad Warsi along with the 'Vishal Bharadwaj' tag could only turn into a movie which you would call nothing more than 'Okay, decent'. Nevertheless, as music adds much needed spice, it's still worth your money!

The film opens with Krishna (Balan) in bed with husband Vidyadhar Verma in playful pillow-talk. As Krishna addresses Verma as 'Jahaanpanah' on screen, the audience was quick to append it with 'tussi great ho'; remember "3 Idiots" anyone? Cut to next scene, a blast. Cut again to Khalujaan (Shah) and Babban (Warsi) fleeing with stolen money seeking refuge at the now widow Krishna's village home near Gorakhpur.

The story builds on as Krishna unleashes her femme fatale charms to tame the duo to toe her line. Vidya Balan playing her part to perfection uses her 'desi' sensuality to the fullest while also displaying shades of bravado firing the shotgun when needed. As with Vishal Bhadwaj's movies, Ishqiya too has a rustic setting, foul mouthed characters and a hinterland heart. This flick deals with Kidnapping near the Nepalese border.

By interval time, the narrative just warms up enough to suggest that the trio now plan to kidnap a rich businessman for ransom. Khalu and Babban jump into agreement, given that their booty stands stolen and has to be repaid while on the other, they're taken over by lust and love for Krishna who manipulates their passions, so much so that Khalu junks his old lover's photo & Babban ditches his pal to make love to her.

The film-makers may have planned their hard-sell on the plank that Krishna's role is in shades of grey. Femme fatales have done well for themselves all through history, be it Cleopatra, or in Bollywood, "Karz" or "Aitraaz". But expectations fall flat towards the end as Krishna turns into nothing more than the clichéd vengeful Indian wife. Well, being apologetic was the last thing that one could expect out of a Vishal Bhardwaj film.

Making things worse is the hurried rush of scenes towards the end; as if a student just realized that he only ten minutes left with half the paper still to go. Climax is contrived and destroys the original 'femme fatale in grey' thread. But, its brilliant songs such as Rahat Fateh Ali khan rendition 'Dil to Bachcha Hai' and Singhs Sukhwinder & Mika's 'Ibn- E-Batuta' work like a balm. Try it out and you won't regret watching it.

"Ishqiya" is not for the entire spectrum of audience. For those who have relished "Maqbool", "Omkara", "Dev D", "Kaminey" and were left begging for more, welcome aboard. Your prayers have been answered.

Make no mistake - each frame exuberates passion. Its precise, planned, researched, and executed. Each dialogue and each emotion depicts creative juices. "Youth has the luxury to see thing in black and white, as we mature everything is grey". Indian Cinema has had long stint of black & white characters, its overwhelming to see the maturity and grey characters being fleshed out effectively. Every character even if appears for a small stint has a purpose in the movie and the loose ends get tied up towards the finale.

☼ Naseeruddin Shah:: I am at loss of words for somebody who is an epitome of acting personified. As Big B rightly acknowledged "When Naseeruddin Shah speaks, you simply bow your head and listen". Every scene of Naseer is nothing short of sheen of gold, pure gold.

☼ Vidya Balan:: Now these are the kind of movies, Vidya Balan should be choosing. She manages to carve her identity inspite of being pitted opposite Naseeruddin Shah. In the nutshell, she manages to culminate the intensity of both Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil. When Naseer & Arshad sort things out (read that "wash dirty linen in public") it reminded me "Women and money are the greatest dividers". Nonetheless, her character is one of the best in recent years.

☼ Arshad Warsi:: Even though his character gets a low footing compared to Naseer and Vidya, Arshad recycles his Circuit character from Munnabhai and leave a mark as Babban. If Naseeruddin Shah's character personified a seeker of love, Arshad Warsi is balanced with lust overdrive.

☼ Salman Shahid:: I had my brain racking trying to recall the familiar deep baritone voice of this actor. He stood out in "Kabul Express" and its good to see him again.

The sweet voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan lingers on the head for a while in his rendition of "Dil Toh Baccha Hain Jee". Thanks to mystical words of Gulzar and wonderful composition by Vishal.

Finally the director qualifies his entry into the league of the Dream Mechants with aplomb. Abhishek Chaubey, take a bow.

After "Ishqiya", you will be waiting with bated breath for something similar to come up and satiate your cravings. Undoubtedly this qualifies one of the best movie of 2010, at least in my wish-list.

PS: I'd do anything for love (Meatloaf). It's a love story, yes!

When I entered the movie hall to watch ishqiya i had a feeling of deja vu !! I thought it would be very similar to omkara but NO! it ain't omkara.. The only thing similar in both movies is the village!! Debutant Abhishek Chaubey wastes no time in setting up his drama, throwing you into the story immediately, never wasting more time on unnecessary links.

Ishqiya is pure delight.. Both in terms of the narrative that moves from one tangy twist to another and in terms of the performances.. The film's USP is its lingo and witty dialogues which keep you tickling all the time! Added to that the biggest star of the movie is the script per se!

Set in the village of gorakhpur ishqiya deals with two small gangsters Arshad and Naseeruddin who with vidya balan make a plan to kidnap a small businessman to earn money and return to the head! But then the thing which will blow you away is the chemistry between the trio!(Arshad Naseer & Vidya) Arshad with his great comic timimg and abusive dialogues will win numerous accolades! Naseeruddin Shah is the legend as everyone knows but in this film he shines in a great manner in his romantic scenes with vidya!And of course Vidya Balan oh what a performance she has given in this film! She has carried away a widow woman full of vengeance in a superb way..

The climax of the movie is fast paced and is full of twists and turns but the scenes between Arshad and Vidya are hilarious! Go have a blast!

My Rating 8/10

Thanks and Regards..