Movie Review: Ishaqzaade

A hard hitting love saga Ishaqzaade is a fantastic Indian adaptation of Romeo And Juliet

Director: Habib Faisal

Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra

Would you fight for love? Would you die for love? Or, more importantly, would you kill for love? Similar themes have been covered in cinema for about 100 years. We’ve all grown up with Romeo And Juliet. So love stories don’t get too different than falling in love against all odds. But that doesn’t mean the same old story can’t have a funky new spin to it. Or make that a snazzy rustic kick that’s as raw as the language used in central UP.

Ishaqzaade takes place in a fictional North Indian town where two families rule the socio- political roost. The Chauhans and the Qureshis live life amidst guns and bullets and where law and order is no more important than the advice of neighbours. They battle it out because each family has political ambitions and the boy Parma (Arjun Kapoor) campaigns for the Chauhans while the girl Zoya (Parineeti Chopra) supports her family the Qureshis. In their unlikely stand offs lies the spark of an unlikely romance. Not very often do you see lovers embroiled in political rivalries. But here you have the guy and girl pushing, shoving, threatening and pointing guns at each other. ‘Opposites attract’ gets a whole new meaning.

Of course it all happens in a rural Indian milieu that depicts the stereotypes that always stand against love. The families don’t support the lovers’ decision to be together. And when they can’t separate them, the only other option is to sacrifice them. But as usual love finds a way to prevail and prevail it does through the young leads of the film. Parineeti is the soul and drive of the film. She’s chirpy and energised and it’s impossible to not like her. Arjun on is a real surprise. His edgy smile travels through the film and at each juncture either surprises or shocks you. His performance as the rock-headed bad boy is nothing short of a revelation.

Of course it all happens in a rural Indian milieu that depicts the stereotypes that always stand against love. The families don’t support the lovers’ decision to be together. And when they can’t separate them, the only other option is to sacrifice them. But as usual love finds a way to prevail and prevail it does through the young leads of the film. Parineeti is the soul and drive of the film. She’s chirpy and energised and it’s impossible to not like her. Arjun on is a real surprise. His edgy smile travels through the film and at each juncture either surprises or shocks you. His performance as the rock-headed bad boy is nothing short of a revelation.

But better than its actors are the film’s direction, writing and music. Habib Faisal brings a Rockstar-like quality to his film with a layered story. His directorial vision comes forth in fantastically choreographed scenes of intimate romance, young love and feisty gun fights. The dialogue of the film is fun and spunky too. But it’s the music that makes the movie – the song Pareshan is the anthem of the film and its spirit.

But better than its actors are the film’s direction, writing and music. Habib Faisal brings a Rockstar-like quality to his film with a layered story. His directorial vision comes forth in fantastically choreographed scenes of intimate romance, young love and feisty gun fights. The dialogue of the film is fun and spunky too. But it’s the music that makes the movie – the song Pareshan is the anthem of the film and its spirit.

On the face of it, this is a fantastic Indian adaptation of Romeo And Juliet. But if you’ve ever loved someone without a sense of inhibition, then deeper in the recesses of its story Ishaqzaade is a saga of love being more important than life and death.

On the face of it, this is a fantastic Indian adaptation of Romeo And Juliet. But if you’ve ever loved someone without a sense of inhibition, then deeper in the recesses of its story Ishaqzaade is a saga of love being more important than life and death.