Movie: Ishqiya
Star Cast: Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Expect the unexpected from this Vishal Bharadwaj production. If you thought Priyanka Chopra put up a bold act in Kaminey, Vidya Balan’s performance in Ishqiya will leave you astounded. A tale of love and deceit set against the rustic backdrop of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Balan showcases the grey shades of the rural Indian woman through Krishna. The widow of a local kidnapper Vidyadhar Verma, fate smiles on her when she is introduced to small time conmen, Khalujaan (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi). On the run after their boss Mushtaq (Salman Shahid) discovers that they have stolen Rs. 25 lakhs from his den to sponsor a peaceful life back in their hometown, they have little place to hide. Krishna gives them refuge and in turn, steals their hearts. Under the pretext of paying back Mushtaq and saving some money for themselves, she uses several skills – singing, generating self-sympathy and seduction – to convince them to be part of a kidnapping operation.
While what follows next makes for an interesting thriller, it is bitter love and bold language that make this one a real treat. Though, if expletives are not something you can handle, steer clear from this one. For those with an open mind, once the initial shock effect wears off, Ishqiya offers nothing more than naked truth as felt and said by most of rural India. From caste-based internal wars to training less than 10 year olds in weaponry and minor sex on sale at brothels to old widows wishing for a change, debutant director Abhishek Chaubey showcases it all with the aplomb of a local.
While you are likely to have a few misses trying to grasp the western UP dialect, you are unlikely to miss the humour. Unlike the subtle and dark humour in Bharadwaj’s earlier films, this time the ‘latiffas’ are direct yet striking. Coupled with some great timing, the movie offers as many occasions to laugh as it does to feel shocked and at times, even sorry. While Arshad Warsi is delightful as always with his comic act, Naseeruddin Shah’s effortless act as an old ruffian who loses out his heart to Krishna is brilliant. Though belonging to two different schools of acting and generations, the duo bring much chemistry to the screen.
As for the cinematography, it merely acts as a sharp canvas for the story to proceed unlike that in screenplay writer and producer’s earlier works – Kaminey and Omkara. Perhaps just what one needs for such intense emotions to get noticed without many frills. Crisply edited to fit into about two hours of running time, Gulzar and Ajinkya Iyer’s lyrics are yet another highpoint of this ‘part dark, part light-hearted’ drama. All you unconventional cinema lovers, watch this one for the smooth screenplay, crazy humour, terrific performances and the soulful numbers.
Tags: ishqiya, movie-review
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