Ishqiya Movie Review Rating By Taran Adarsh

Ishqiya Movie Review Rating By Taran Adarsh


Movie : Ishqiya
Director : Abhishek Chaubhey
Cast : Naseruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan

Get ready for tangy, pungent, sizzling and spicy stuff. Be forewarned, Ishqiya isn't the fluffy, candyfloss, saccharine sweet story of lovers breaking into songs in mustard fields. In Ishqiya, you just don't know what turn the story may take next. Not just the story, even the characters here are so impulsive and unpredictable.

Rating : Four stars

You need to have a strong stomach to absorb Ishqiya. It's high on drama, it's wild, it's real. But it's not dark, it's not sleazy, it's not crass. Frankly, you don't expect debutante director Abhishek Chaubey to make a stereotypical fare thanks to the tutelage by his guru Vishal Bhardwaj, who loves to swim against the tide and undertake risks in film after film.

You could call Ishqiya a distant cousin of Omkara. Set in Gorakhpur in North India, the film has a rustic feel, depicts characters that may make you uncomfortable and is laced with saucy lingo. Yet, it's different than Ishqiya.

Final word? You can't help but fall in ishq with Ishqiya. Tired of sherbat? Try this spicy jaljeera for a change!

Two thieves, Khalujaan (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi), are on the run from their boss, Mushtaq. They seek refuge at a friend's house, but instead meet his widow, Krishna (Vidya Balan). The time spent together draws the duo to her, Khalu with his tinted vision of old-fashioned love and Babban with his lustful eye. But the past catches up with all three!

There's no denying that the promos had prepared me of the journey ahead, yet it took us a good 15-odd minutes to get into the world of Khalujaan, Babban and Krishna. But once you get sucked into their world, the blurred images start getting clearer and clearer and you become an active participant in their journey.

The first hour passes in a jiffy, but the story actually gets dramatic and volatile in its second hour. It's at this stage that things start getting more and more unpredictable. The story does a somersault every 10 minutes and by the time it reaches its finale, you're curious to know how the debutante director would conclude this saga. The end, of course, will have its share of advocates and adversaries, but the fact remains that it's offbeat.

Abhishek Chaubey is a welcome addition to the ranks of avid storytellers. His choice of the subject and also handling of the material is what makes this film so eminently watchable. Not once do you feel that Ishqiya has been helmed by a first-timer. Note the change of events in the song Dil To Bachcha Hain Ji or the kidnap drama and the heated argument that follows thereafter. Even the passionate lovemaking sequence between Arshad and Vidya has been dexterously canned.

However, Chaubey and his team of writers could've kept the writing simplistic towards the finale. It's complex and also lacks clarity. Yet, all said and done, screenplay writers Vishal Bhardwaj, Sabrina Dhawan and Abhishek Chaubey deserve kudos for coming up with a film that keeps you hooked for most parts.

Vishal Bhardwaj's musical score has his unmistakable stamp all over. The film is embellished with two lilting gems - Ibne Batuta and Dil To Bachcha Hain Ji - which are a rage with listeners already and have been juxtaposed beautifully in the plot. Mohana Krishna's cinematography is first-rate. Dialogues (Vishal Bhardwaj) are acidic and a few lines are indeed startling.

Ishqiya explores human emotions

Every actor in Ishqiya delivers a sparkling performance! Naseeruddin Shah is superb as a romantic. He is matchless in the sequence when he learns the truth about Vidya and Arshad. Arshad packs in a bravura performance yet again. Post Munnabhai films, Arshad should be liked in this one the maximum. Vidya continues to surprise. It's a dynamic performance undoubtedly. Paa and Ishqiya are two landmarks in her career.

The actors enacting the role of Jijaji, the kidnapped victim and Vidya's husband are all perfect. The child, who interacts with Arshad, is natural. In fact, every performance in Ishqiya is worthy of mention.

On the whole, Ishqiya is definitely worth a watch. The film has a riveting plot, great performances, soulful music, an absorbing story and skilful direction to make the viewer fall in ishq with it. It should appeal to the hardcore masses as also the multiplex junta.

Ishqiya Teaser promo

Unveiling sensual Vidya

Vidya Balan dons a brand new avatar in the upcoming flick 'Ishqiya' which has Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi.

Roobaru With Abhishek Bachchan

Roobaru With Abhishek Bachchan

The pressures of being Amitabh Bachchan's son must be immense but in the ten years that Abhishek Bachchan has been a part of the Hindi film industry, he has never complained.

With his latest film "Paa", both the Bachchans bring the father-son relationship alive on screen, albeit with a twist.

The 33-year-old actor has slowly won his own place under the Bollywood sun, and spoke to Reuters about the time he thought he wouldn't make it as an actor, what director Mani Ratnam means to him, and of course "Paa".

Q: The fact that you are playing your father's father in "Paa" is unique in itself but you are also playing a young politician in the film. That's also unusual, isn't it?

A: "I was very excited when (director) Balki told me that he wanted to make my character a politician because I was very keen to show a politician in good light. Unfortunately, we typecast politicians in our films and there is a cliché of a politician who wears a Nehru cap, wears a sadri (traditional Indian garb), chews paan and is corrupt.

"I wanted to show that there are politicians who are forward thinking and can do good things. Amol Arte is not corrupt. He is a good guy and I think everyone's faith in politicians will be rebestowed (sic) after this film."

Q: This is also a movie that has quite a radical subject, doesn't it?

A: "Well, for starters, the film isn't about progeria. That is just a background. Progeria was a second thought and I don't mean that with any disrespect. Balki came up with the idea that he wanted me to play my father's father and we set about looking for a plausible reason to do that. How do you have me and my father in the same frame and make it look believable? That's when Balki came upon progeria which is a very unfortunate disease where the human body ages much faster than it is supposed to.

"People with progeria have a very distinct look, so the make-up was right there. We did take a few creative liberties. But the film is not about progeria and nor does it show the tragic life of a progeria victim. It's a happy film and you will definitely leave the theatre with a smile on your face. It's a film about a father and a son."

Q: Bollywood hasn't really moved to making films that have radical subjects. Do you think "Paa" is that film?

A: "I think our films are fantastic and I don't know why the word 'masala film' is looked down upon. I dare anyone to come and make a masala film here -- it is very tough. I think our genre of films is unique and every week we come up with something good.

"I don’t think 'Paa' is a radical film. At the heart of it, it is an emotional, sweet film. I don't look at it as radical just because our lead artiste has got a new look."

Q: Was it tough for you to watch your father go through hours of prosthetic make-up, something that even your father has admitted was tough.

A: "Both yes and no. Yes, because he is your father and you know he shouldn't have it so tough at this stage of his career when he should be kicking back his feet and relaxing. But as a professional you understand that, and you appreciate it that he is still sitting there for five hours, patiently, waiting for his make-up to get done."

Q: What motivates him to do such roles, at a stage in his life, when as you said, he should be kicking back his feet and relaxing?

A: "If I knew the answer to that, I would be doing the same thing. But I think it is just the love for what he does. I know that if he sits at home for over a day, he gets restless. I just think he loves doing what he does. I don't know how he does it. Till date, he is up at 5:30, he is in the gym, he'll go to work, he does everything. He's Superman.

"What happens is that when you get a movie like 'Paa' and a character like Auro, that drives you also."

Q: You have said earlier that you were very excited to play this role, but what about your father? Did he have any apprehensions?

A: "The only apprehension he had was about the character. How were we going to make it believable? It is very easy, when you have a subject as unique as this, to become gimmicky about it. He didn't want to the audience to think that. His look and him playing a 13-year-old has gone down really well with everyone."

Q: Was it tough for you to carry him on your back?

A: "No! He is not as heavy as everyone thinks he is (Laughs). But he has carried me on his back his entire life, so it was time I returned the favour."

Q: Was it weird for you to feel fatherly towards your own father?

A: "Not really. We are actors and we know that when the camera is rolling, all relationships go out of the window. You have to make that demarcation. You can use a real-life relationship to your advantage because there is a comfort level. But as an actor I can't be thinking 'oh, he is my father, and I am playing his father'. That just messes with your head. It is better to switch off."

Q: What do you hope for from this film?

A: "I haven't made 'Paa' for any commercial gains. 'Paa' is produced by my family company which is AB Corp and is our first production after many years, after all the trouble that we went through. My only expectation is that I hope my father is proud of me when he sees the film. I have come on board as producer of the film as well so I want him to be happy and proud of me. It might sound selfish but it is his company and he has done a fantastic job so I want him to be happy."

Q: This is also the first time you have come on as producer. How was that?

A: "It was great fun. My training is in production. Before I became an actor I was a production assistant. But would I trade it in for acting, never. Acting is much more fun."

Q: Your next film is with Mani Ratnam, and a lot has been written about it in the media. Do you get bothered when the media calls it a jinxed film?

A: "Yes, I get very very upset. This is complete fabrication and irresponsible journalism. You cannot pass judgement and label a film when you don't know anything about it. It's very upsetting for the team. We work very hard to make films and we put our life and soul into it. I have worked very hard on 'Ravan' and it has been the toughest film I have ever made.

"The film was made on schedule and it's about to release. You have no right to do that to a team that has worked on the film. You have to have some respect for some one who has achieved what he has achieved. I think it is disgusting."

Q: You have been cast in three consecutive films by Mani Ratnam, one of the best filmmakers we have. Does that give you a boost?

A: "Mani first took me on in 'Yuva' at a very important stage in my career. He bestowed confidence in me. He signed me on at a time when I was questioning whether I should be an actor or not. Then to come back and give me a role like Gurukant Desai and then to come and give me 'Ravan', it meant a lot. Mani is family to me. It's very tough for me to be objective about him. I do think he is the best we have. He has been a godsend for me."

Q: Why did you question yourself? You seem to be someone who is very confident of himself.

A: "For the very same reason, I think. You know that you are putting in your best and it fails. It is disheartening. You know that you gave it your best and the realisation that your best isn't good enough, through seventeen films that haven't worked. One film will shake you up; seventeen will destroy you. The first few, you are nonchalant about. Then you say to yourself, 'oh, people don’t know what they are talking about.' Then you become cynical about the whole thing.

"But after a while, when you open the paper every Friday and read your review and people tell you how terrible you are, you start believing that. Because 'I can’t be right all the time'. And it is me against a billion people. That works on your subconscious. I remember telling my dad that I wasn't cut out to be an actor. That is why, when people liked 'Yuva', I felt that I had it in me. I just had to keep at it."

Q: You recently joined the ranks of the twitterati. How does it feel being on Twitter?

A: "Oh, I love Twitter. I think it is fantastic. I am completely hooked. The greatest thing is that I finally have a way to interact with my audiences on a one-to-one basis. It isn't one-way. I enjoy that interaction. I think it makes me a better person and a better actor.

"In the past, if I wanted to thank my fans, I would have to do it through some other medium. But now I have my own soapbox, so to speak. I love it."

Vidya Balan Photos, Images, hot Pics,Wallpapers

Vidya Balan Photos, Images, hot Pics,Wallpapers

Vidya Balan - The Bad Girl !

Vidya Balan : I enjoyed playing sexually aggressive girl

With 'Ishqiya' Vidya Balan breaks away from her squeaky-clean image and the actress says that she thoroughly enjoyed playing the "sexually aggressive" bad girl.

Balan debuted as the coy Bengali belle Lolita in Parineeta and the image stuck to her, but the actress says that her turn as a conniving, foul-mouthed temptress in the film by debutante director Abhishek Choubey will be a shocker.

"I know it's going to shock people but I thoroughly enjoyed playing the bad girl in the film. It is the kind of role that I have wanted for a long time and the fact that I was the first choice for it was a surprise for me too. There is a underlined sexual aggressiveness about the character and she speaks her mind," Balan said.

The film, set in a small hamlet in UP, will see the actress romancing funnyman Arshad Warsi and veteran Naseeruddin Shah who play bandits on the run.

The 31-year-old actress said that much to her own surprise she slipped into the role quickly, despite the initial apprehensions.

"There is plenty of abusive language and innuendo in the film but I am an actor who spends a lot of time with the director before shooting begins. So the inhibitions were done away with during the early readings and when the camera rolls the 'sharam' goes out of the window," said the actress.

While she may be romancing Shah in the Vishal Bhardwaj production, the actress plays mother to megastar Amitabh Bachchan, 63, in her other upcoming project Paa.

"Initially I just could not believe that it was happening, I am playing mother to Amitabh Bachchan. It was surreal, but then it became addictive because Mr Bachchan is so convincing as the 13-year-old Auro. I could connect with him as Auro's mother," said Balan.

The actress who was at the receiving end of many barbed comments over her weight, will debut her new svelte self on-screen with the film which releases on December 4.

"Yes I received plenty of bad comments because of the weight. And I will have to say that no one likes criticism. But I also realised that I myself had become lackadaisical about it and I wanted to push myself. I feel healthier now," said the actress.

Balan who has often been trashed for her fashion choices in the past returns to an 'ethnic Indian' look in the two films. While in 'Paa' she will be seen wearing her signature anarkali suits and cotton sarees, her look in Ishqiya is a lot less polished but more sensual.

The actress who refused to budge from her signature style despite the criticism said that she does not equate skin show with style.

"I did not lose weight to wear revealing clothes. I have a personal style and I do wear western clothes. When not working I am either wearing jeans or track suits. On-screen I wear the clothes that go with my character," said Balan.

Paa Release On This Friday | Paa Synopsis - Cast & Crew

Paa - A very Rare Father-Son, Son-Father Story  Release On This Friday | Paa Synopsis - Cast & Crew

Meet Auro On This Friday, 4-12-09, at your nearest theater............

Cast

Cast:

Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Paresh Rawal, Arundhati Naag,Taruni Sachdeva, Pratik Katare, Nimit Dhaiya, Varun Shukla, Dhruvin Doshi,Karan Bhiwandkar, Gaurav Bajaj

Crew

Assistant Director: Jagan Shakti  

Still Photographer: Gene Gulati  

On Air Promos: Nilesh Raut, Abhilesh Shivalkar  

Cinematographer: P. C. Sreeram  

Publicity Designer: Rahul Nanda, Himanshu Nanda  

Story Writer: R. Balki  

Costume Designer: Sabyasachi Mukherji, Aki Narula, Falguni Thakore, Rahul Agasti,Vijeyata Manchanda

Sound Designer: Tapas

Director: R. Balki

Producer: Big Pictures, AB Corp, Sunil Manchanda

Banner: Big Pictures, Mad Entertainment Ltd.

Music

Music Director: Ilayya Raja

Lyricist: Swanand Kirkire

Vidya Balan Connection With Pakistani Kajal

Pakistani Kajal And Other Secrets Of Vidya Balan’s Beauty Revealed!

 


Don't Get Shocked It's not a terrorist connection; it's all about BEAUTY,
Honey.......

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Vidya Balan the quintessential southern beauty when quizzed on her Indian style revealed how she loved wearing ethnic kurtis, jhumkas, and kohl lined eyes.

If there is one thing that no one can deny its Vidya’s talked about gorgeous eyes! And we are the first to tell you the secret.

Reveals a source close to the star “Vidya calls for her Kajal all the way from Pakistan. Whichever brand you put in front of her she will never touch any other kajal except that particular one that comes from Pakistan.”

“Luckily for Vidya now the brand is available in Delhi .She keeps getting gifted expensive eye cosmetics but she refuses to part with her favorite kajal” adds the source.

There are some things that money just can’t buy and Vidya Balan seems to prove that to us. Now we know how Vidya wowes us time and again with her gorgeous eyes.

Bipasha Basu & Vidya Balan No More War

Bipasha Basu and Vidya Balan, the warring actresses have ended their battle. The cold war that was on between them has ended.

They got along well at the party of ‘All The Best’ at a five-star hotel and Bipasha went up to Vidya and hugged her.

The cold war began after rumours of John Abraham’s chemistry with Vidya Balan on the sets of Salaam–e-Ishq came out in 2007. Bipasha had then asked John to never work with Vidya again. But Bipasha was very warm to Vidya at the party recently and the latter was shocked when Bipasha hugged her.

John was also very sweet to Vidya. Bipasha has stated that she has always been nice to Vidya and that the media has printed ridiculous stories all this while but Vidya hasn’t commented on the issue.