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Ishaqzaade Movie Review
Ratings:2.5/5 Reviewer:Rajeev Masand Site: CNN IBN
Much of the film’s strengths come undone by the use of such tired clichés as the religious differences that stand in the way of true love, and the sacrificial hooker with a heart of gold. Also Faisal resorts to an unforgivably unoriginal climax – for both the resolution of the lovers, and their families – that sticks out in a film with such promise.Ishaqzaade benefits considerably from Amit Trivedi’s excellent soundtrack and Hemant Chaturvedi’s sharp cinematography. Faisal creates a believable world with charming characters, and his leads have crackling chemistry. I’m going with two-and-a-half out of five for director Habib Faisal’s Ishaqzaade. It’s far from perfect, but you won’t be boredVisit Site for more
Ratings:3.5/5 Reviewer:Taran Adarsh Site: Bollywood Hungama
ISHAQZAADE depicts the love story of two defiant, rebellious individuals. A passionate love story ignited by extreme dislike. It revolves around two disputing political families, two fiery individuals and their battle for control and superiority. In such a setting, when two people, who have been loathing each other all this while, fall in love, things go askew.The post-interval portions have several euphoric moments. 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!Visit Site for more
Ratings:3/5 Reviewer:TNN Site: Times Of India
Director Habib Faisal takes you into the heart of this small-town story, creating a politically-divided Almore with elan - penning gripping characters, but fails to maintain the crescendo in the second half. After highlights like a sensitively shot lovemaking scene on a rusty train berth, a subtly picturized romantic song (Pareshan), and a shocking pre-interval scene, it starts falling apart like a house of cards; ultimately folding into a predictable climax.The flatness of the second half is what takes away from the pace of a launch vehicle that could've been memorable.'Ishaqzaade' starts with a bang-bang, but ends up firing blanks.Visit Site for more
Ratings:2/5 Reviewer:Raja Sen Site: Rediff
There is much craft on display, and some lovely moments, but the immense promise shown by the first half turns out as hollow as a politician's. Soaked in sloppy sexism, the second half has the heroine repeatedly tortured -- cheated, slapped, bound, gagged, shot at and abused -- and yet the film decrees that she forgive. In the heartlands the film is set in, maafi is an all-absolving concept, an irretractable token of instant forgiveness, like a church confessional. Ishaqzaade, despite its artistry, deserves no pardon.Visit Site for more
Ratings:3/5 Reviewer:Anupama Chopra Site: Hindustan Times
I wonder if the Indian film ritual of intermission also functions as a creative road-block. Because so many fine films derail exactly there; I call it the curse of the second half. Ishaqzaade is one of these.Faisal sets up the story with great precision. Kapoor and Chopra are terrific as the explosive twosome. The music, composed by Amit Trivedi, works well.Which is why it's so disappointing to see it unravel. Still, Ishaqzaade does provide half a good time. How many films can you say that for?Visit Site for more
Ratings:2.5/5 Reviewer:Omar Qureshi Site:Zoom Review Show
Ratings:2.5/5 Reviewer:Saibal Chatterjee Site: NDTV
Sadly, Ishaqzaade isn't quite as pulsating as the plot line might suggest. The script throws up some surprises all right, but the story of inter-religious love does not have legs robust enough to gallop all the way through to the end with sustained energy.After a startling end to the first half, the film's pace drops several notches in the second half as the lovers seek refuge in Chand Bibi's brothel. If only Arjun Kapoor's dialogue delivery had greater punch and Parineeti Chopra could pull off the emotional moments without going shrill, Ishaqzaade would have been a markedly better film.Visit Site for more
Ratings:2.5/5 Reviewer:Shubhra Gupta Site: Indian Express
But overall, it feels stale, this business of using religious differences to divide true love in just this way. You can dress it how you want, with the parents and relatives of both coming off authentic, and the lines which make you smile, but at its core, it’s same old same old :It’s all in there, and yet the result is mixed : some of ‘Ishqzaade’ hits the spot, the rest is a dragVisit Site for more
Ratings:2/5 Reviewer:Blessy Chettiar Site: DNA
He takes his time to establish the boiling Almore, his shady characters and then the plot that sees generous sprinklings of political and religious rivalry. Zoya and Parma’s love story beg for attention, even though you like them, you cannot sympathise with them. The love story drags on till a point you stop caring. After the very slow start, things start picking up towards the interval. The second half is repulsive, length wise. The dialogue isn’t memorable either, though Parineeti’s timing is impeccable.Watch if you must, go expecting nothing. You might just enjoy Ishaqzaade.Visit Site for more
Ratings:3/5 Reviewer:Shomini Sen Site: Zee News
With a bit of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ interspersed in the story line, ‘Ishaqzaade’ captures a love story in a small town of northern India where the Muslim girl is allowed to have shikaar as a hobby but is not allowed to get married to a Hindu boy – a political rival’s grandson.The plot is racy and the narrative does not waste too much time in establishing the love story. That perhaps can go against the film, since the transition from hate to love for the lead protagonists happen a bit too quickly, leaving the viewer wondering whether it is that easy to love and hate a person.The film keeps you engaged in the first half and the important twist right before the break is truly mind blowing. The second half unfortunately loses pace and the predictability creeps in by the end of it.Visit Site for more
Ratings:3.5/5 Reviewer:Mrigank Dhaniwala Site: Koimoi
What’s Good: The breezy first half; the good performances; the music and the background score. What’s Bad: A few boring portions in the second half; the climax, which will not be liked by a majority of the lay viewers.Verdict: Ishaqzaade makes for an entertaining watch. Watch or Not?: Go for it if you want to watch a love story with a twist.Visit Site for more
Ratings:3/5 Reviewer:Martin D Souza Site: Glamsham
This is dangerous Ishq! A violent love story set is a small town named Almore, somewhere in Uttarakhand, between the kids of two warring politicians belonging to different communities. While one is brash and in your face with his arrogance, the other, the only female in a joint family, is the feisty one with ambition to one day win the elections. They both belong to different communities, to top it, there's political rivalry. But what turns the tale on its head is when caste and creed is forgotten and the families unite with one goal -- to wipe out the 'shame'!Visit Site for more
