Ishqiya - Review

Fantastic promos, great music, all the hype a film would want. From the stables of Vishal Bhardwaj, the much awaited Ishqiya finally hits the screens today......does it live up to the expectations?
Absolutely, this one's a winner !!

Set in the rustic interiors of India, the film deals with two thieves, Khalujaan(Nasserudin Shah) and Babban(Arshad Warsi) who are on the run after stealing money from their boss. They take refuge at the house of widowed Krishna(Vidya Balan), whose husband died under mysterious circumstances.
As their boss traces them down, the money disappears and they are given a few days to return the loot or go six feet under. The 3 then devise a plan to extort good money and get rid of their woes once and for all.
Although this is the plot of the film, the real joy is in the journey, dialogues, little jokes and the overall experience that has been crafted. Each character has their distinct flavour which add greatly to the tale.

The first half of the film goes past with the blink of an eye, while the second half is a bit more meaty. While the story has nothing special or new, it is the treatment that is noteworthy.
Full marks to Vishal Bhardwaj for firstly, some brilliant dialogues, secondly for a well written screenplay & lastly, for the beautiful music, which adds great value to the film. The picturisation of "Dil to Baccha Hai" is particularly splendid.

First time director Abhishek Chaubey gets two thumbs up. He has arrived with a bang and deserves full credit for this effort. Whether the love triangle or the madness between the two thieves, he showcases it with a unique zest. One shall wait for his next film.

The performances too, leave no room for errors. Veteran actor Naseerudin Shah does a stellar job as the old romantic. He speaks through expressions and shows why he is considered one of the best.
Arshad Warsi too does a great job as the quirky thief. Post Munnabhai, this is his best effort to date. Vidya Balan springs another surprise post Paa. She looks ravishing and teases with her eyes. The chemistry between her and the other two actors is superb.
A mention also for the child actor who interacts with Arshad Warsi. The unmissable boy is fabulous.

At the box office, one sees word-of-mouth strongly helping the film. For all of you reading this, watch this film today.
Take a bow Abhishek Chaubey, this ones a home-run.

Critical: 4/5
Commercial: 3.5/5