Ishq-e-nadaan
Introduction
It is another start of the weekend but the new content isn’t slowing down! This is another packed weekend with multiple new releases, so let’s get to them one by one! First up, I finished watching the new Hindi film Ishq-E-Nadaan which is now streaming on Jio Cinema. By now you would know that Jio Cinema is churning out a lot of content just so quickly, something that has confused the audience on what to watch and what to skip. Hence, it is often a challenge to distinguish the good content from the mediocre ones, given that the OTT platform doesn’t quite promote any content, while just focusing on releasing them.
When it did come to Ishq-E-Nadaan, I did have my expectations in check as I didn’t quite like the look of the film. It did seem to be slightly dull and a film which may well have been dumped on an OTT platform(like the previous film releases on Jio Cinema). Its starcast <span;>though<span;> comprising of some talented actors did give me some hope, along with the romance genre which is slowly picking up pace again across the circuit. So with a little skepticism and hope I ventured into Ishq-E-Nadaan, is it worth your time, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Ishq-E-Nadaan follows a few intertwined stories of varied individuals with a central theme of love. The story here definitely does spring in a surprise in a very good way. It is heartwarming and comes across as a breath of fresh air particularly with the kind of depth that it caters to. This, while it seldom gets too heavy to consume which was a great positive! The screenplay standing at a shade under 2 hours does make for a warm and organic narrative which some well etched out characters wherein you are invested in them and in their journey.
The drama does open with three stray incidents that are seemingly unrelated to each other. Across these events, you are introduced to the protagonists who are shown to be common people dealing with their own set of conflicts in the city of Mumbai. The concepts of loneliness and uncertainty which are the byproducts of love and nicely explored in each of the three tales. The setting of Mumbai did go perfectly with the theme of the drama. A city which is a home to thousands of people often making people feel lonely is an interesting dichotomy which is so well tapped into. To top it, an interesting mix of characters across demographics that are so well etched out, that you are invariably invested in their journeys.
The proceedings are engrossing and engaging particularly with the situations that are created between characters. There are a few early conflicts introduced in a couple of the love stories, while allowing the characters and the viewers time to get acquainted with each other. The thing that I was also interested in was on how deeply would the writers explore the complexities surrounding love. And it was fairly well explored as well without allowing the drama to get melodramatic. The events were consistently heartfelt even through the various conflicts that were introduced. Also, the writers did pay attention to the age demographic. The concept of love for an elderly couple(often blurring lines of companionship and love) is very different from that of the younger generation, and that was tapped into quite well. This further enunciated the fact that this drama was indeed heartwarming.
On the minor flip side, I did feel that some of the resolution of the conflicts were slightly rushed and a tad too simplistic. Having said that, I did like how the world did collide between two of the three stories with the third story left to interpretation(quite evident of how that world would collide with the other two tales as well). However, I did wish to see the circle complete wherein the makers could have shown the missing third piece as well. Nevertheless, the screenplay here is beautifully written and makes for a refreshingly heartfelt watch!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are conversational but beautifully penned. The introduction of poetry(shayari) lights up the proceedings by adding so much more depth to the drama. The lines are philosophical and quite endearing, and it made for a great watch. The music may or may not appeal to the listeners independently. But the songs add weight to the narrative and blend beautifully with the setting. The BGM is quite good as well and it does elevate quite a few scenes of the film. The cinematography is good but I would have liked a few more outdoor shots as well which would have allowed the city of Mumbai to be one of the characters of the film. The editing is quite good for most parts of the drama. Director Avishek Ghosh does a fabulous job here by tactfully catering through a plethora of emotions while keeping the theme of love intact. His ability to create heartfelt situations was quite compelling to witness, and it made for a good day in the office as far as the direction was concerned.
Performances
The performances are outstanding by the ensemble cast. Pankhuri Gidwani, Anshu Varshney as Bhargavi, Deepika Amin as Rekha and Gaurav Sharma as Mahesh have their moments to shine. Mrinal Dutt as Radhav is first rate in a character which so easily could have been vilified but ended up giving a different perspective. Samvedna Suwalka is such a talented actor and she shines wonderfully as Meenu despite a limited screen time.
Kanwaljit Singh as Subhash Kapoor was an absolute joy to watch in a character that was dealing with his own insecurities while finding new companionship. Neena Gupta as Charulata is wonderfully understated with such poise and grace that I genuinely felt the warmth of her character. Also it was a pleasure watching the duo years after Saans sharing screen space together. Their chemistry was infectious!
Mohit Raina is such a wonderful actor himself and he delivers a heartfelt performance as Ashutosh. He is shown to carry a mountain of pain while his job does demand him to be courteous throughout and that was an interesting dilemma showcased through his character, and brilliantly portrayed too. Lara Dutta Bhupati as Ramona delivered a very dignified performance in what was a layered character. It was a pleasure watching her onscreen in what was a brilliant outing by her.
Suhail Nayyar as Piyush was a character that I could relate to a lot. His ideology about a job was an interesting take, and I do endorse it upto an extent as well. And he was such a natural onscreen who ended up doing a magnificent job! Shriya Pilgaonkar as Siya was a very complex character who was trying to normalize all her issues while putting up a strong face. And she tapped into various emotions wonderfully well. She was excellent in the film and another timely reminder on what a wonderful actor she is!
Conclusion
Ishq-E-Nadaan is a refreshingly heartfelt take on the concept of love with endearing performances that makes for a splendid watch. Available on Jio Cinema.
