"Ishqiya" is not for the entire spectrum of audience. For those who have relished "Maqbool", "Omkara", "Dev D", "Kaminey" and were left begging for more, welcome aboard. Your prayers have been answered.
Make no mistake - each frame exuberates passion. Its precise, planned, researched, and executed. Each dialogue and each emotion depicts creative juices. "Youth has the luxury to see thing in black and white, as we mature everything is grey". Indian Cinema has had long stint of black & white characters, its overwhelming to see the maturity and grey characters being fleshed out effectively. Every character even if appears for a small stint has a purpose in the movie and the loose ends get tied up towards the finale.
☼ Naseeruddin Shah:: I am at loss of words for somebody who is an epitome of acting personified. As Big B rightly acknowledged "When Naseeruddin Shah speaks, you simply bow your head and listen". Every scene of Naseer is nothing short of sheen of gold, pure gold.
☼ Vidya Balan:: Now these are the kind of movies, Vidya Balan should be choosing. She manages to carve her identity inspite of being pitted opposite Naseeruddin Shah. In the nutshell, she manages to culminate the intensity of both Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil. When Naseer & Arshad sort things out (read that "wash dirty linen in public") it reminded me "Women and money are the greatest dividers". Nonetheless, her character is one of the best in recent years.
☼ Arshad Warsi:: Even though his character gets a low footing compared to Naseer and Vidya, Arshad recycles his Circuit character from Munnabhai and leave a mark as Babban. If Naseeruddin Shah's character personified a seeker of love, Arshad Warsi is balanced with lust overdrive.
☼ Salman Shahid:: I had my brain racking trying to recall the familiar deep baritone voice of this actor. He stood out in "Kabul Express" and its good to see him again.
The sweet voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan lingers on the head for a while in his rendition of "Dil Toh Baccha Hain Jee". Thanks to mystical words of Gulzar and wonderful composition by Vishal.
Finally the director qualifies his entry into the league of the Dream Mechants with aplomb. Abhishek Chaubey, take a bow.
After "Ishqiya", you will be waiting with bated breath for something similar to come up and satiate your cravings. Undoubtedly this qualifies one of the best movie of 2010, at least in my wish-list.
PS: I'd do anything for love (Meatloaf). It's a love story, yes!
