movie reviews ... and more
Review - Ishqiya: Aimless love, sex aur dhokha
Quick Review
![[Poster for Ishqiya]](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4287207416_1fe1bfa26c_m.jpg)
I feel like this unappeasable audience who demands more and more from her movie-makers. I constantly complain about one-dimensional characters. Ishqiya has three reasonably well-defined characters with very visible shades of gray and yet it doesn't give a "complete" feeling when walking out of the theater. The film is made well technically too. The interaction amongst the characters takes a hit in this one, and it is difficult to understand the motivations of their behavior.
After an intriguing start, mid-way, the film completely changes its tone. This leaves you disconcerted. Sure, a lot about the characters is intentionally mysterious, but as we approach the climax, shouldn't there be at least a vaguely interpretable rationale. It doesn't even have the artsy, take-your-own-guess kind-of an appeal. It looks more like lazy writing.
Khaalu-jaan (Naseeruddin Shah) is a romantic who can kill, if he wants to. Babban (Arshad Warsi) is a thug who falls in love. Both are rugged, men of the soil. Krishna (Vidya Balan) is a romantic who maintains a constant enigma about her. She's absolutely convincing as a seductress who knows what she wants (whether or not we figure it out). Once the chemistry between them is established it is awesome and the actors have done a wonderful job. But, why the chemistry happens in the first place, has no answers.
Also, a lot of this is because you don't have any background about the setting of the film. It is either assumed that you know what happens socially and politically, in and around Gorakhpur or you are given a feeling that it is not supposed to matter. Since I don't know why the Yadavs are fighting the Thakurs, there was a huge gap in the dynamics of the various side characters.
And yet there is a lot going on by means of entertainment and keeping you interested. The spontaneous dialogues delivered with perfect timing. The twisted plot is engaging - so what if it geared towards a lame and dissatisfying end. Also, the propriety and plausibility of Krishna's behavior are a huge question mark.
"Executing a nice story well," is not an easy feat. With a unmissable Vishal Bharadwaj feel to the way the story is told, it is lyrical and earthy. But the story is kind-of warped and leaves a distinct taste of discontent.
p.s. I wish a movie could be given a higher rating for awesome music. All songs, except for 'Ibn-e-batuta' are exceptional - brilliant music and lyrics to top that.
- meetu, a part of the audience
Parental Guidance:
There is no attempt at all to make this one a movie for all and no reason to be either.
- Violence: Loads of gunshots
- Language: Rural. And plentiful use of abusive language
- Nudity & Sexual content: Begins with an intense intimate scene and has more spread in the film. Throughout, Krishna has a particular sensuality about her.
- Concept: Betrayal, revenge, love and sex.
- General Look and Feel: The whole film has a very rugged look about it.
Ishqiya - Movie Details
- Official Website: Link
- Banner: Shemaroo Entertainment, Vishal Bharadwaj Pictures
- Producer: Raman Maroo, Vishal Bharadwaj
- Director: Abhishek Chaubey
- Lead Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Vidya Balan, Arshad Warsi
- Supporting Cast: Alok Kumar, Anisha Bano, Jai Singh, Salman Shahid, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Sharma, Anupama Kumar, Gauri Mala
- Screenplay: Sabrina Dhawan, Abhishek Chaubey, Vishal Bharadwaj
- Dialogues: Vishal Bharadwaj
- Dir. of Photography: Mohana Krishna
- Editor: Namrata Rao
- Background Score: Hitesh Sonik
- Action Choreography: Jai Singh
- Music Director: Vishal Bharadwaj
- Lyrics: Gulzar
- Running time: 120 minutes
- Reviewer: meetu
- Categories: Hindi Movies
- Genres: Romance, Crime
Comments (14)
I loved it. As far as I'm concerned, Vishal Bhardwaj has just gained the position of best producer. With Kaminey last year and this now, I feel he has managed to combine sensible intelligent story telling of "parallel" cinema with commercial appeal. Aamir Khan productions do the same but with more stress on mass appeal and Excel also make good mainstream movies but no one excites as Bhardwaj can. He is a Gulzar for this decade
posted 6 months agoThe Producer really shadows the Director in this one, ey? Can't find him in the Cast and Crew section.
posted 6 months ago@Varun that's an interesting way of looking at it. And i'm happy for parallel cinema, but even that has to connect at some level.
@Gopi he he...oops. Thanks for pointing it out. Will add immediately
posted 6 months agoHey Meetu! Guess I agree about the "unexplained" parts, but that is the new style of filmmaking, as against the old school way wherein every action, dialogue had to be justified. I liked the plot and treatment. It has a very earthy feel about it. Acting by almost everyone is fantastic. Vishal and Gulzar combo for music is heavenly as usual! I guess the dialogues were nice... but I wish the dubbing was better. Would have helped to better understand dialogues that were foreign in the first place because of lingo and culture. Overall, I really liked it... But don't worry Meetu... as a critic, I guess you are supposed to be unappeasable!
posted 6 months agoWow! I read your reviews every weekend, and most of the time we agree! This morning I read this review and was quite disappointed b/ I was really looking forward to this movie. Just came back from seeing Ishqiya and I 100% agree with your review. Acting, dialogs, technical aspects of the movie were great...but the story was nothing exciting. I was hoping for a mature love story with some realistic action, but I got a kidnapping plot which was completely uninteresting. I never rooted for the characters in their mission, and that's where the movie failed. Really disappointed. Even more pissed that the Ibn-e-Batuta song was only in beginning credits and the dance sequence wasn't there :(
posted 6 months ago@Nachiket! Good to see you here!
Naah...I'm just another part of the audience dude. :)
I understand stories leaving things unexplained...but there is usually a clue for people to argue/discuss about. There's nothing of that sort here.
@Sanat, I know exactly what you mean! Songs - I was ok with them not showing up on screen, lest the spoil the "hearing" experience/
posted 6 months agoEach action and motivation is explained subtly as the film progresses. One just needs to be a little intelligent.
posted 6 months ago@Bollyfan Please elaborate...
posted 5 months, 4 weeks agoit is an attempt to set an EXACT James Hadley Chase plot in an indian setting. Nothing more can be expected from it. Same plot points: kidnapping gone wrong, loot, faking one's death, betrayal, small time thiefs on the rum meet widow, typical James Hadley Chase with added nepali angle for indian setting.
i wonder if my comment will be moderated out here also..
posted 5 months, 3 weeks agoHi , Can you tell me which song were Nasser & Vidya humming.....just before they Kidnapped KK....
posted 5 months, 3 weeks agoMeetu, I loved this movie. I think you did not understand the movie.
Here is my view of the movie/char of the main person- Krishnaji-->
A very beautiful, intelligent and efficient woman married a man and thought he was her life. She put him before herself. They had wonderful chemistry. He was doing some gair kanuni stuff(selling Army’s arms and intelligence to China?) and police was after him. She wanted him to leave the stuff so they can live together without fear.
...
...
...
[comment moderated because it gives too much or rather all of the plot away]
Such a beautiful story and so well told. Hats off!!!
posted 5 months, 2 weeks agoProof of each and every thing in this comment is shown in the movie! Please watch the movie again and please do let me know what you think.
I listen to all the podcasts from theindicast and I am a fan. I would be happy to hear back from you! :)
@PD interesting point of view
@amar Damn it! cant remember...
@kuchibs i appreciate your point of view. but had to delete most of your comment because we don't give such details about the story here. :)
posted 5 months, 2 weeks agoLOL! I'm going to see the movie tomorrow so of course, I had to stop and check what WOGMA had to say about it. But the 'NittyGritty' section made me double over in laughter. You really have an excruciating eye for detail, don't you? :-)
posted 5 months, 1 week ago@ideasmith anything to make you smile, hun. Anything to crack you up.
posted 5 months, 1 week agoLeave a new comment