User reviews

Post his National Award winning directorial debut DO DOONI CHAAR, I was pretty much excited to see writer-director Habib Faisal's second venture ISHAQZAADEY. The well designed posters with the grungy look and its promos having guns all over, raised the expectations further along with Parineeti playing the lead.

However, the film came out to be just fine but nothing hugely exceptional going against my big expectations. It can easily be called a violent love story made on a fast moving script with sharp twists coming in its both halves to keep you engaged. But at the same time, its not a perfect take as all the elements in it collectively do not hit you hard with a 100% force. The first half of the film is thoroughly enjoyable as the various characters are introduced in the small town background entertainingly and one feels like watching a winner all the way. But post intermission the narration dips at many places leading to some weak sequences and a 'could be better' climax from the talented director.

Made around the subject of 'Honor Killings' (Hindu-Muslim Issue), ISHAQZAADEY is undoubtedly better than many other big films of 2012 featuring the saleable stars. But as far as perfection is concerned, it disappointed me majorly due to the confusing characterizations of its lead actors. Firstly the bindaas girl, who is daring enough to go and buy her own revolver illegally, who is bold enough to lead the election campaign for her father and who can even slap the grandson of the opposition leader. The same girl forgives & surrenders herself completely to the same boy so easily, just like that and plays being a big fool which strongly goes again her bold, tom-boy image. Secondly the rough guy who simply behaves like a no-emotion man when his own mother gets killed in front of his eyes and he weirdly takes it in a very strange, cool manner. The third are his close friends, who act like two born cowards and at once go against their own friend, the moment he decides to be a rebel. With such loosely written characters the film fails to sink in deep in the viewer's heart and one never feels moved emotionally while watching it.

Still, the intelligent part of the script is that it moves at such a pace which doesn't allow you to think about these weak chracterisations. Moreover with a violent (but lengthy) climax it ends like an attempt to create awareness around a social evil putting you onto a different track altogether. So the writer director very smartly covers up everything and one feels like having watched a fine film while walking out of the theater.

Frankly, I found the emotional touch missing in ISHAQZAADEY, both in the love as well as in the family relationship angle. The lead pair does show a great chemistry in their intimate scenes but I didn't feel like watching an intense and passionate love story as a whole with feeling or depth. In other words, it all keeps on happening on the screen pretty fast without any real touch of hearts interacting with each other. To be honest, the narrative completely gave me the feeling of watching some well crafted plastic flowers with fine beauty & colour but no fragrance of their own. In fact there were only two scenes in the entire film where I felt the emotions coming out perfectly. One where the couple is running away from the girl's house after their Idd visit and Parineeti's father is blindly firing on them in anger. And second when Gauhar Khan is seeing them off with her moist eyes.

Performances wise it's once again a Parineeti movie all the way after LADIES VS RICKY BEHL. The girl remains immensely likable from the first frame to the last with her next door persona and a fantastic bindaas style of acting. In her second film only, she goes pretty bold too in her on-screen kisses and is a real treat to watch particularly in the first half. Arjun Kapoor as the other Ishqzaada makes an impressive debut with a careless kind of attitude. He fairly manages to leave a mark with his cunning smile and rough looks. But the boy still needs to work hard in order to shine more brightly. And he can surely better himself working on some valuable tips coming from his mentor Salman Khan and uncle Anil Kapoor available to him as his family elders.

Interestingly in his current get up he does remind you of the young Abhishek Bachhan too in few scenes. Apart from the Ishq couple, the supporting cast is fine but Gauhar Khan comes out as the sole winner here, giving a loving performance supported by a well choreographed dance number. Perhaps she has now become one of the favourites of Yash Chopra group after ROCKET SINGH.

In the technical department, Cinematography deserves a special mention, shooting on the actual locations and giving the same rustic feel to the project as shown in its posters. The action (especially the Chase Scenes) and the background score go hand in hand providing the much needed energy to the project and so does the well worked upon soundtrack from Amit Trivedi. I particularly loved the spirited title track "Ishaqzaadey" and "Pareshan" which has also been shot lovingly by the director in a great mood. However for "Jhalla Wallah" song, Amit takes a clear inspiration from Sai Zahoor's "Saiyaan, Allah" track sung in the original Coke Studio version of Pakistan, which was also featured in the recently released "West Is West".

In all ISHAQZAADEY becomes watchable mainly because of Parineeti and some good music alone. But being a film written and directed by Habib Faisal, it cannot be rated as a hugely satisfactory venture, vaguely made on the theme of honor killings.

I can fully understand why Habib Faisal's Ishaqzaade did well commercially. It's a very different kind of 'love story', though I can in no way see it as a love story, because for the most part there's hardly any love happening between the two main leads and it's all about ego, pride and communal hatred. One of its strengths is its very Indian feel. The movie is devoid of modern sophistication and I loved its rustic sensibility, where it scores big time. The sets, the dialogue, the characters, all match up to this very impressive portrayal. But then it is also overly brutal and violent, and the story is lacking in substance. Ishaqzaade may be quite fast in pace, and it could have been a nice small-town romance, but something is missing. Towards the end, it does get far more interesting and suspenseful, and the ecstatic climax makes it work much more, but I expected something else. Anyway, where Faisal manages to do his best, is in extracting very good performances from its two leads. Arjun Kapoor gives a confident debut performance, playing Parma with a nice touch of cynical ambiguity. It is the rising starlet Parineeti Chopra, however, who dominates the proceedings with her fiery and natural portrayal of the no-nonsense lass Zoya, showing immense strength and maturity. This girl's sure got what it takes to become a leading heroine whether it's screen presence or acting chops and, following her nice act in Ladies Vs. Ricky Bahl, this one proves she is a good new find. Hopefully we get better things to see from these two actors and Faisal himself, who is a very good director who just has to work with better scripts.

There is a fine line between hate and love. If you hate someone, that really only means you truly love them. How far will go to be with then one you love? Would you sacrifice your family, betray your faith, dishonor your name. In Born to Hate… Destined to Love, you follow Parma and Zoya who seem like an unexpected pair. Both come from rival political families and belief, she was Muslim, he was Hindi . They first disliked each other then the attraction over came their mutual passion for each other. This film is beautifully made and the story is believable full of twist and turns. It keeps you intrigue and on the edge of your seat until you discover that when soul mates connect, it's hard to divide the union of when two become one. I saw this film as part of the Atlanta Film Festival

A passionate love story ignited by extreme dislike. The Chauhans & the Qureshi's are two Political families whose rivalry & shared hatred for one another goes back generations. I don't watch too many Hindi movies except Hindi Art or social. So in the end this one obviously has taken my attention with its internal social view likes: Religion, Politics, Revenge, Love and Affection. This one really has some masala that can impress any kind of audience. Still have some lacking but every people has their own different point of view. Though it has simple and common concept but you guys will really love Arjun Kapoor & Parineeta Chopra's Hardcore Acting.

Saw this movie yesterday on DVD. I liked this movie but was left with a taste that it could have been so much better. Marriage between a Hindu and Muslim in India is very tough especially in a small town in UP. The behavior of some of the characters did feel strange and the director didn't do a good job developing these characters. Some of the fights and scuffles between Parma and Quereshis looked very unnatural. I am just surprised to see how few people died in this movie.

Having said that about the movie I must say that I really liked Parineeti's performance. She was very convincing as a brash young girl who does fall in love even though she is somewhat aware of bad things that can happen. She is also very beautiful. I think she has a bright future in front of her.

Arjun Kapoor did give a reasonable performance. However, I kept comparing him to Abhishek and Arjun kept losing in comparison.

Ishaqzaade was an opportunity gone miss because of the weak direction and poor script. The only silver lining was stupendous performance by new comers Arjun Kapoor and Parineeta Chopra.

In the midst of politics , gang-wars and hooligans two people from different cast and community fall for each other. However , their family never support their decision to get married due to Hindu-Muslim Fiasco. They escape and run for their life to plan and settle down away from the madding crowd but their destiny changes with fate.

Habib Faisal ( Do Dooni Chaar) , adapts Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and transforms it into modern day drama with gang-wars , political clashes. The story is same as old wine in a new bottle but its the script which could have salvaged the film from falling into pit. Attempt was good showing the reality in the climax portraying the honor killings taking place in north India but drama fizzles out in the second half and doesn't give you an emotional feeling like the actual story and you walk out of the theater with mixed feelings. Some of the scenes do stand out like the one where Arjun Kapoor betrays Parineeta Chopra before interval and transformation of Arjun Kapoor from a baddie into a good guy. Amit Trivedi's music score and Rajit Barot's background needs special attention for the superb music they have given to the film. Cinematography is just about OK capturing the back drop of North Indian town. Art direction was poor. Dialogues are rowdy . Arjun kapoor stands out as a beginner and give a commendable performance. He is sure to get things going. Parineeta Chopra was loud in the initial reel but calms down and gives a good performance towards the end.

So , Overall , an average flick which could have been made better but looses the steam afterwards !! Average 2/5

Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor - they will go very far in the industry. This film proves it. Parineeti does such a justice to the role, she is audacious, loving, carefree, .... her body language, her vulnerability, her dialog delivery - its a class performance. Arjun Kapoor, while I think, doing the role he did, is slightly easier than how Parineeti did justice to so many shades of her character, but still did a stupendous job.

The other technicalities of the movie is brilliant. Art direction, the sets, colors, music (Oh Amit Trivedi, I cannot get enough of 'Pareshan')...

I loved the movie. Do not watch this if you cannot take intensity .... its a mad intense crazy love story!

Ishaqzaade is an example of how a film without a proper script can get ruined. Its got some amazing chemistry between the lead pair, but like many other films these days, doesn't have the script power to give them the boost.

Nevertheless, an entertaining film. Plus points are good performances and Parineeti. A dull second half and the clichéd climax form the other extreme. It's not a movie you need to run to the theater for, unless you wanna watch the gorgeous/pretty/beautiful Parineeti scorch the screen.

Acting: 8.5/10 Story-Screenplay-Direction: 5/10 Technical Aspects: 8/10 Is it worth your time and money??: Hmm… That's a tough one. I guess yes, for its got some awesome performances by Parineeti, and even Arjun. Give it a shot at your leisure.

For a detailed review, please visit sasikanth.me :)

A story that has been repeated many times is given a fresh look with new comers Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor. Both definitely will have promising careers in Bollywood. Arjun's role, as a brat, fit like a glove. No one would have guessed this was his first movie. He has charisma and flawlessly delivered his lines. Parineeti has a fresh look, playing a bold girl. She also played her character with ease. Both had amazing chemistry, which made it entertaining to watch.

The direction was amazing and the story moved really fast. However there were some parts which seemed a little unnecessary. Editing and cinematography really helped carry the movie forward. The songs were good, especially the item songs.

This movie is definitely a must-see especially for the lead pair.

I am a big fan of Bollywood Movies. What a waste of 2 hours and 30 minutes of my life. Plz Don't see in theater. Wait for DVD to come and see on your home theater. Parineeti's acting was good. Arjun need to polish himself then enter into Great Bollywood. Direction was so bad .....1/10. If I was the Director of ISHAQZAADE, I could make it more entertaining. Only good thing was its Music.....7/10. Keep yourself away to see this AWFUL MOVIE.... Believe me.....Totally waste of time. See VICKY DONOR replacing this awful movie. If you are still interested to watch it, please keep a headache tablet in your pocket.. Thanks for see my review.. For any suggestion

Woven with shades of Romeo and Juliet, there's something eerie and unsettling in this tale of enemies to lovers. The cinematography, devoid of over the top CGI enhancement, felt raw and real, bringing in a weight of truth to the story.

The characters came absolutely alive, full of malice, anger, hate, interest, and rage. I love ghat neither was wholly good, wholly bad. Also, their chemistry was off the charts - superbly played by the actors.

The second half and the path to forgiveness felt slightly rushed. But their decent into madness and idealism, hoping their love meant something, had some impact on their families, left my chest hollow. The ending, albeit abrupt and cruel, felt perfect. It was realistic.

And so the hate between different religions and cultures persists, unless us, the viewers, decide to reflect and stop the cycle.

Arjun Kapoor is stupendous. His body language is perfect. He can only get better from here. Parineeti chopra slips into character like a pro…a fantastic performance…She is a complete package. Faisal's screenplay does full justice 2 d story. D 1st half is fast paced & entertaining.

On the whole, ISHAQZAADE, a volatile and intense story with ample doses of fanatical romance, should appeal to a pan-India audience. This broadly engaging love story has a winsome pair who deliver dexterous performances, besides popular music and several poignant moments, which should appeal to fans of mainstream films. Go for it!

If the promos were to be believed, Ishaqzaade was a film to watch out for. It had Boney Kapoor's son Arjun Kapoor making his debut after a fat to fit success story. And there was Parineeti Chopra riding on a high after being lauded as a worthy newcomer for her performance in 'Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl'. And well, it was from the Yash Raj Banner.

Predictably, the film began with packed halls on the weekend. But after the show, I'm sure many among those hordes would have returned to their homes thinking that they have just been conned by a pointless movie! As one of Ishaqzaade's hit songs goes 'Pareshaan' (Troubled), this was exactly what the experience was!

In the fictional town of Almor, Uttar Pradesh, political battle-lines are drawn along religious lines with Qureishi and Chouhan political patriarchs being bitter rivals. The hate spreads through their families too, with Qureishi's daughter Zoya (Parineeti) and Chouhan's grandson Parma (Arjun) hating each other since they were kids.

Soon Zoya and Parma fall in love, at first prompted by the latter's trickery. But circumstances draw them towards one another. But the world around them wouldn't let the pair unite, as their religion-conscious families don't want to see an inter-religious marriage, which could in turn hurt their political careers.

The love-hate relationship between the lead actors, in a way reminds you of 'Tom & Jerry' playing tricks on one another. But, set in a politically aware state like Uttar Pradesh, things can't be so cozy. Shot across various locations in the state, including Lucknow, there couldn't have been a better setting for the film.

With a zillion bullets being fired in every direction, the film feels like a live game of 'Counter-strike'. If someone bothered to count the rounds fired, I'm sure it would add up to a four digit figure. Figure this, the goons-n-guns need item songs and, Gauhar Khan gyrates to them in the background of guns firing to the beat of the song.

Although the whole premise is clichéd, some good acting saves the day. The lead actors, Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor do well as newcomers. The supporting actors do well too. Per se, Parineeti scores better on the looks department as compared to her starry cousin Priyanka Chopra. And she has talent too. But it is too early to say whether she can pull off varied urbane roles with aplomb as Priyanka can.

A bizarre film that it is, you will either love or hate Ishaqzaade and there is nothing in between. The ending, which is not revealed in this review, is utterly disappointing. There are no reasons to recommend that anyone should watch this one. Just hang in there for a few weeks and Ishaqzaade will be on the small screen soon!

Habib Faisal's Box-Office Super-Hit 'Ishaqzaade' is a terrific film, that works due to a strong script & excellent performances by its lead cast. Here's a love-story, that's brutal, wild & completely out-of-control.

'Ishaqzaade' depicts the love story of two defiant, rebellious individuals. A passionate love story ignited by extreme dislike. A love-story that's brutal, wild & brash.

Faisal's Screenplay is super-strong, each sequence unfolds superbly & the pacing is absolutely perfect. The only flaw lies in its culmination, which comes across as hurried. But overall, 'Ishaqzaade' is a winner! Faisal's Direction is top-notch, as well. Cinematography & Editing are good. Music by Amit Trivedi is masterful.

Performance-Wise: Debutant Arjun Kapoor & Parineeti Chopra are excellent in lead roles. Arjun plays the raw, rustic, unlikely hero to perfection, while Parineeti is simply impeccable in her part. Their On-Screen Chemistry is marvelous, as well. Gauhar Khan does her bit well. Ratan Singh Rathore deserves a special mention.

On the whole, 'Ishaqzaade' is a terrific film, that needs to be viewed!

Isqzaade has no redeeming features. The only remarkable thing about it is how it saw the light of the day, and how could so many people have been fooled to fill the hall.

It is overloaded with ugliness; be it the locations, the politics, the sexist streak, the crassness, religious stereotypes, language used. It is being positioned as a volatile, small town love story… well it isn't. It is better described as a deranged fantasy of an incompetent writer/ director/ producer. The acting is bad, but I don't blame Arjun Kapoor or Parineeti Chopra – characters are badly fleshed out, story line is aimless, and motivations of everyone in the movie are unclear. Actually, all characters exhibit traits of a crazy person - fluctuating between extreme emotions a bit too easily, showing complete absence of any forethought, having no moral dilemmas.

This movie brings a bad name to all the critics who have recommended it. So here is my good deed of the day – please don't watch it… this movie is Junk.

A good Movie, which will hardly impress people, only people who understands creativity, will applause it . Movie is well made, it a piece of art. Movie depicts a dark side of humans. Personally speaking I hated the way character "parma" is portrait-ed in movie. Which betrayals the girl and marries her. Film would have been better.

This is kinda a movie, which u will enjoy it, but nothing new. A love story of bad people or say bad couples. It hardly impressed me. But I should say story it well written. Movie well made. It does entertains you, but fail to leave a mark behind.

After few years people will forget this one easily.

Movie is "Just OK"......watch if u want to. My ratings 4.5.

I don't know what is the problem with critics. Some are calling this film sexist, others are calling it a film that goes awry in the second half. Well, guys, why can't you enjoy the show with popcorn and hankies? Why can't you guys join in the fun with whistles and applause? This is after all a romantic film coming from Yash Raj Films and in fact, I found this film way, way better than most of the mediocre stuff rolled out every week.

Indeed, by most virtues, Ishaqzaade is a romantic film that roped me completely in. I remember being awed by 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' as the last romantic film which I found entertaining on every time I watched it. 'Ishaqzaade', despite a somewhat tried-and-tested premise, turns out to be a rather unconventional romance. Far from being a breezy tale of romance set in idyllic locations, the film is instead set in small-town UP where there is little or no respite from the constant strife.

Political rivalry rules the town of Almore and right from the word 'Go', writer-director Habib Faisal dives in and shows us the lawless land from differing perspectives. The political families Chauhans and Qureshis squabble over matters as trivial as cans of diesel or a prostitute performing in social gatherings. Clearly, Faisal sets up the setting with an eye for detail and ear for rapid-fire wit. This is a land of generators running on diesel, a house populated predominantly with men, handguns that can be bought as easily as earrings and a strange world where a brothel is the safest place to hide from vested, self-centered malevolence.

Indeed, the scramble for Almore's throne decides the fortunes of our unlike eponymous couple. In the gruff and unkempt Parma and the spunky Zoya, Faisal gives us a couple that will remain in our memory for a long time to come. Both run wild, both sport handguns like mobile phones and both are a cause of concern for their families. Parma's aging, wizened grandfather reprimands him for his errant ways while Zoya is restrained by her elders from going blazing. By assigning each credible character development, dialogs bursting with wit and local dialect, Faisal makes the characters look as real and rusty as the steel revolvers they sport. And the pair is equally deadly.

Faisal ratchets up a terrific chemistry between his leads. He lets the romance progress in an unpredictable format. There is betrayal involved but then again, Faisal pairs the duo together as they flee from people hell-bent on killing them. It is remarkably like the clever rapport we saw in 'Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid' as well as 'Bonnie And Clyde'. As in those films, Faisal keeps the chemistry sparky while creating an authentic background as well.

The film reeks of the flavor of UP but Faisal keeps the ingredients superbly in balance while the romance crackles. Faisal touches a number of sensitive themes like the religious disparity, social stigma and political opportunism and the resulting mix thickens the plot and makes the film authentic and realistic. And there is always the fiery pairing to keep us thrilled.

As Parma, Arjun Kapoor makes a stellar debut. He captures the small-town, grungy essence perfectly in his body language and the gritty dialog delivery rocks. He embodies the scoundrel perfectly while his change of heart is also believable later. Parineeti Chopra, as Zoya, exudes a natural confidence and enthusiasm that sets the stage on fire. Under Faisal's capable directorial hand, she performs freely, blazing her dialogs and yet being vulnerable as well.

Faisal's direction sparkles in other places as well. The action and romantic sequences are shot with energy while the drama is captured realistically without sinking into melodrama. Faisal keeps the pace steady and balanced as well and crafts the film with his trademark flair for detail. Amit Trivedi's music is alternately zingy and poetic, while Hemant Chaturvedi's visuals capture the small-town sights and locations with grittiness.

On a whole, Ishaqzaade is not just a film. It is a sensation. It overwhelms you and leaves you thrilled.

Shame on Yashraj films, who have continued to thurst some mindless stuff on the viewers,since Fanaa.

Police don't seem to exist in the town of Almor, only thing people are interested in is winning elections, by engaging into dirty tricks, and use of guns and fire,as if they were toy guns.

The script writer is totally confused as to the chemistry between Parma and Zoya, are they interested only in the physicality of their attraction towards each other,or do they really love till death do us part ?

It's all a matter of convenience for the script writer. Why does Parma discard Zoya in the first place, after their so-called suhag raat in an immobile train compartment ? And why does he change his mind later on to ask for forgiveness ? Beyond logic !

The number ishaqzaade really gets on your nerves to a limit ! Zoya appears to be nothing more than a sex-starved young woman, who is so gullible,that within hardly a few meetings with Param. Param's scene of pissing on the hoarding of his political rival is disgusting ! In the last scene, both Param and Zoya die like dogs, and yet fail to evoke any pathos. The act of one of the hooligan kicking dead Param's heel to see whether he is really dead, is the height of the inhuman angle ,and deranged direction. i repented renting the DVD,and wasting my precious time,but thanked my stars for not going to the theatre to watch this trash !