Ishqiya

Producer: Vishal Bhardwaj Raman Maroo
Director: Abhishek Chaubhey
Star Cast: Naseruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan, Salman Shahid, Rajesh Sharma
Cinematography: Mohana Krishna
Action: Jai Singh
Editor: Namrata Rao
Screenplay: Vishal Bhardwaj, Sabrina Dhawan, Abhishek Chaubhey.


Welcome Abhishek Chaubhey!! Ishqiya is time indication that Bollywood is coming of age. Not just in the treatment of its treatment of its films but also in the choice of its plots. Sociologically speaking, we live in times of “liberal morals”. Our morality is less accountable and we people are even less inhibited. This is bound to reflect in the art and literature of our times. Ishqiya is thus an unpretentious look at the happenings involving three persons who, are not very concerned about the seeming values of society.
Krishna (Vidya Balan) is the widow of a local goon. During his lifetime – she is willing to play seductress to the hilt. After his death she plays host to two guys, Khalujan (Naseruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi), who are on the run. They owe huge sums to yet another goon Mushtaq (Salman Shahid) and would have to pay with their lives, if pay they cannot.
Why she is willing to play host is a part of the intrigue that unfolds in a style that is a reminder of Vishal Bharadwaj’s approach. You soon know that she is playing the Sholay Thakur to the Jai-Veeru and she has a personal agenda. She uses the financial need of the twosome, she uses her charm, her sex-appeal-any and everything she has to achieve her goal. What goal? Watch the film. To state anything further would be telling. Not fair.
The film has the rawness of a Vishal Bharadwaj and the ruthlessness of a Govind Nihlani. The screenplay (Vishal Bhardwaj, Sabrina Dhawan and Abhishek Chaubhey) is crafted and leads you through the dusty Gorakhpur in U.P. in a way reminiscent of Omkara. In fact even Arshad Warsi reminds you of Saif.
The film stands out for an unapologetic look at life. It is not sub aerial. It is also told interestingly with turns and twists that are intended to keep the viewer engaged.
Watch the film for the magic of Gulzar and Vishal Bhardwaj as the music director. If Ibna batoota is catchy, the classical number soothes.
Naseer is polished. Vidya is sincere and sensous. She is however not made for the role. Someone with less finesse. Yet, she is on roll and the performance truly showcases her skills as an actress. Arshad Warsi is just too much talent, lost in the wilderness. This time, out of the Circuit-mould, he is punched filled and makes compulsive viewing.
In the final analysis, the film may sometimes hurt your sensitivity but never your sensibility. It may not be everybody’s diet, but it is a clear announcement of the arrival of new talent Abhishek Chaubhey. The only failing, if any, in the debutant, is his commitment in style to his master Vishal Bhardwaj.
Yet another wonderful aspect of the film is the brilliant cinematography Mohana Krishna. A dusty Indian town has never before made a statement of its own and so strongly aided the telling of a tale.
To the discernable, the film is not just a happy experience, but one filled with hope.


L. Ravichander