2/10, by komal:
ISHQ VISHQ - (Reviewed By Komal Nahta)
Producer: Kumar S. Taurani, Ramesh S. Taurani Director: Ken Ghosh Music: Anu Malik Lyrics: Sameer Starring: Shahid, Amrita, Shenaz
RATING: 2/10
Tips Films Pvt. Ltd.'s Ishq Vishk is a college love story. A young boy, prodded by peer pressure, yearns to have an affair with some pretty young girl. Keen on being a part of an overnight picnic for couples only, he fools his childhood girlfriend into believing that he loves her so that she would agree to be his partner. The girl, simple and straightforward, takes him seriously, more so, because she has been silently loving him since their school days. Once at the picnic, he tries to get physical with her in his drunken state but she slaps him in front of the entire group of friends. Unable to forgive her, he severes relations with her.
He also decides to woo the prettiest girl in college. Enter a new girl in the college and from there into his heart. He woos her and soon the two become great pals. But when the boy's best buddy feigns an affair with the simple girl, he can't take it and realises that he actually loves the simpleton. In the end, of course, true love triumphs.
A simple story has been spoilt by a confused screenplay (Vinod Ranganath). Consequently, there's no logic to several scenes and also no connection between what's supposed to be the cause and what's designed as the effect. The young boy feels the need to have a girlfriend because of pressure from his peers who are shown to be ruthless guys and girls without emotions.
Yet, when the boy emotionally hurts his childhood girlfriend at the picnic, all those heartless friends react as if they were the most considerate people on earth. And they remain that way till the end! Their characters undergo a sea change at the drop of a hat - sorry, slap! How? It's not explained. Likewise, the boy's character also changes so easily. Further, whether the boy acts fresh with his childhood friend under the influence of alcohol or not is not clear. For, even though it is sought to be established through dialogue that he was not used to consuming liquor, his other actions don't suggest its influence.
Besides, he consumes alcohol at the picnic but he is shown to have had ulterior motives in taking the girl for the picnic much before that. Should the audience then think, he would have done what he did under the influence of alcohol, even without its influence? Again, not explained. It has not been clarified if the boy has an affair with the prettiest girl to spite his college friends or because he actually falls for her (because, in any case, dating and affairs are the only thing shown to be on his mind in the entire film till he repents).
Besides, why doesn't he ever act fresh with her? Has he realised that it is wrong to do so? If yes, why doesn't he forgive his childhood friend - or rather, why doesn't he ask for her forgiveness? Although the childhood girlfriend is nicknamed 'Behenji' by the college group to suggest that she is too unfashionable, she wears clothes quite similar to what the others wear. That is, her appearance doesn't match her nickname. Similarly, the prettiest girl doesn't look half as pretty as she should have looked. Matters of convenience - but ones which spoil the impact!
Perhaps, the most unpardonable flaw in the screenplay is that in spite of doing so many wrongs and even acting so unlike a hero should, the boy (who is the hero of the story) does not have to repent for his wrong-doings. He plays with his childhood girlfriend's emotions, then with the prettiest girl's emotions but he doesn't have to pay for all that because he gets his childhood girlfriend back so easily.
The Hindi film audience is used to seeing a character atone for his wrongs, more so if he is the hero. While the makers may pass this off as a fresh concept (self-realisation being the best lesson), the audience would miss the high it would want to experience. For, if the viewer's sympathies are with either or both the girls, he is let down badly. Only if the audience's sympathy is with the boy would it get a feeling of satisfaction. But can the audience sympathise with a hero who is so selfish? Not at small centres at least!
Despite so many flaws in the script, there are some truly plus points in the film too. Among them are the peppy dialogue (Kiran Kotrial), the comedy and the music. Comic scenes, especially post-interval, evoke laughter, even guffaws, at several places. The punch-packed dialogue help to lift the drama a great deal. The comedy tracks of the servant and of the boy's best friend (his one-liners as voice-overs) should have been kept alive all though the length of the film. Anu Malik's music - especially the 'Chot dil pe lagi' song, the title song, 'Dooba re dooba', 'Aankhon ne' and 'Love love tum karo' - is very good. The 'Chot dil pe lagi' and title track are hit numbers.
Shahid Kapur makes an impressive debut as the college boy who has affairs and dating as the priorities of his life. Although not endowed with extraordinary looks, the boy has a cuteness about him which endears him to the audience. He acts ably, dances gracefully and has none of the awkwardness of a newcomer. Amrita Rao does an average job except in a couple of scenes post-interval, in which she is good. She looks too unglamorous. Shenaz Treasurywala does not look like a heroine. Her performance is alright.
Satish Shah is excellent. Vishal Malhotra (as the hero's best buddy Mambo) is first-rate. Yash Tonk is pretty impressive. Dimpy (as the Sardar) is very good. Upasna Singh evokes laughter. Neelima Azim, Viveck Vaswani, Anang Desai, Kapil Jhaveri (as Javed), Shabbir Ali (as Danny) and Omung Kumar lend good support. Deepti and Soundarya pass muster.
Ken Ghosh makes a fair debut as director. While he is excellent with comedy scenes, the same can't be said about the dramatic, crucial and emotional ones. He has made a film which would appeal mainly to the youth.
Song picturisations (Ahmed Khan), especially of the 'Chot dil pe lagi' and the title track, are quite eye-filling. Background score (Raju Singh) is very effective. Camerawork (Amit Roy) is good. Production values are appropriate. Other technical aspects are of standard.
On the whole, Ishq Vishk is a film for the youth in Bombay and other big cities. Its business in multiplexes will be very good. Average in merits, it has limited prospects in circuits such as Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, C.P Berar. Since Tips, the producers, are themselves the all-India distributors, they would make money on the low-priced film on the strength of business in Bombay (hit), Delhi city and South.
The Hindi film audience is used to seeing a character atone for his wrongs, more so if he is the hero. While the makers may pass this off as a fresh concept (self-realisation being the best lesson), the audience would miss the high it would want to experience. For, if the viewer's sympathies are with either or both the girls, he is let down badly. Only if the audience's sympathy is with the boy would it get a feeling of satisfaction. But can the audience sympathise with a hero who is so selfish? Not at small centres at least!
Despite so many flaws in the script, there are some truly plus points in the film too. Among them are the peppy dialogue (Kiran Kotrial), the comedy and the music. Comic scenes, especially post-interval, evoke laughter, even guffaws, at several places. The punch-packed dialogue help to lift the drama a great deal. The comedy tracks of the servant and of the boy's best friend (his one-liners as voice-overs) should have been kept alive all though the length of the film. Anu Malik's music - especially the 'Chot dil pe lagi' song, the title song, 'Dooba re dooba', 'Aankhon ne' and 'Love love tum karo' - is very good. The 'Chot dil pe lagi' and title track are hit numbers.
Shahid Kapur makes an impressive debut as the college boy who has affairs and dating as the priorities of his life. Although not endowed with extraordinary looks, the boy has a cuteness about him which endears him to the audience. He acts ably, dances gracefully and has none of the awkwardness of a newcomer. Amrita Rao does an average job except in a couple of scenes post-interval, in which she is good. She looks too unglamorous. Shenaz Treasurywala does not look like a heroine. Her performance is alright.
Satish Shah is excellent. Vishal Malhotra (as the hero's best buddy Mambo) is first-rate. Yash Tonk is pretty impressive. Dimpy (as the Sardar) is very good. Upasna Singh evokes laughter. Neelima Azim, Viveck Vaswani, Anang Desai, Kapil Jhaveri (as Javed), Shabbir Ali (as Danny) and Omung Kumar lend good support. Deepti and Soundarya pass muster.
Ken Ghosh makes a fair debut as director. While he is excellent with comedy scenes, the same can't be said about the dramatic, crucial and emotional ones. He has made a film which would appeal mainly to the youth.
Song picturisations (Ahmed Khan), especially of the 'Chot dil pe lagi' and the title track, are quite eye-filling. Background score (Raju Singh) is very effective. Camerawork (Amit Roy) is good. Production values are appropriate. Other technical aspects are of standard.
On the whole, Ishq Vishk is a film for the youth in Bombay and other big cities. Its business in multiplexes will be very good. Average in merits, it has limited prospects in circuits such as Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, C.P Berar. Since Tips, the producers, are themselves the all-India distributors, they would make money on the low-priced film on the strength of business in Bombay (hit), Delhi city and South.
Edited By arsh on 1052673902
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