Ishqiya (2010)

While on the run from goons, a man and his nephew fall for a kidnapper's seductive widow.

Director:

Abhishek Chaubey

Writers:

Vishal Bhardwaj (screenplay), Sabrina Dhawan (screenplay),

Stars:

Naseeruddin Shah, Vidya Balan, Arshad Warsi

4 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Naseeruddin Shah	...	Khalujaan
Vidya Balan	...	Krishna
Arshad Warsi	...	Babban Hussain
Salman Shahid	...	Mushtaq
Adil Hussain	...	Vidyadhar Verma
Rajesh Sharma	...	Kamalkant Kakkad
Anupama Kumar	...	Manju
Gauri Mala	...	Mamta
Alok Kumar	...	Nandu (as Aalok Kumar)
Anisha Bano	...	Tai
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jai Singh

Storyline

Ishqiya is a story about love arising in characters, portrayed uniquely according to their own personal traits. The situations in the plot lead the characters to experience the emotion creeping into their lives in the most unexpected manner.

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Plot Keywords:

love | fugitive | death by explosion | femme fatale | house explosion | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Details

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi

Release Date:

29 January 2010 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shemaroo Entertainment, Vishal Bhardwaj Pictures

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Preity Zinta was the initial choice for the female lead but turned it down.

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Connections

Features Intaquam (1969)

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Soundtracks

"Badi Dheere Jali"
Performed by Rekha Bhardwaj
Lyrics by Gulzar
Music by Vishal Bhardwaj
Music on T-Series

User Reviews

Romanticism amidst crime

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.