Daawat-e-Ishq Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating
Bollywood has, over the years, witnessed many a film, which spoke about and highlighted the age old 'tradition' of the evil dowry system. In the past, films like MEHNDI, GHAR HO TOH AISA etc. have spoken of this social evil. This week's release DAAWAT-E-ISHQ also treads on the same territory, but in a 'delicious' manner (as the title suggests).
To start with, the title of the film DAAWAT-E-ISHQ is misleading, as the film is about dowry system and not about food and delicacies as the film's title and promotions indicate. This film highlights the fact that not only are girls from middle class families subjected to this unethical custom of paying dowry during weddings, but also how today's girls can actually con (courtesy, internet) any simple loving boy off his emotions and wealth, using the law.
The film starts off from the household of a Hyderabad based family of Gulrez Gullu Qadir (Parineeti Chopra), who happens to be an academic topper in the state of Andhra Pradesh, and who is equally good in sports. Despite all her achievements, her prospective in-laws demand dowry from her simpleton righteous father (Anupam Kher), who works as a clerk in the High Court. Gulrez manages to rag and drag out the money hungry prospective grooms and their families at every possible meeting that her father arranges. That's when Amjad Baig (Karan Wahi), a rich guy who is on his way to USA for further studies, enters her life. The two fall in love and when their respective parents meet up for marriage discussion, Gulrez gets a shock of her life as she hears Amjad's parents asking for monetary 'help' and not dowry, which her father cannot afford to pay. Even worse, Amjad too fails to stand by his love. This is when Gulrez is heart-broken and decides to teach the 'dowry' seeking grooms and their family a lesson. Her plan is to con a rich groom, use Section 498 (A) of the Indian Law and extract alimony money from the family in which she gets married.
After convincing her father, Gulrez and her father change their identities, reach Lucknow and pose as rich business family from Dubai. The stage is then set in a hotel room wherein Gulrez's father scans the bridegrooms and schedules them for interviews after checking their profiles on a matrimonial website. However, a night before the meetings, while they are dinning at Hydari Kabab restaurant, Gulrez and her father bump into the young dashing owner of the place Taariq Haider (Aditya Roy Kapur). Taariq, who too is one of the candidates selected, gets impressed by Gulrez and uses his charm and culinary skills to impress Gulrez and her father. The father-daughter duo meanwhile also discovers that he is the richest of all the candidates that they have met. The two families meet, Gulrez records their dowry discussion on a hidden camera, she eventually gets married to Taariq and the plan is successful. She gets the money and leaves for Hyderabad. Only problem, she too has fallen in love with Taariq but can't go back. Will she confess her crime and come clean and will Taariq forgive and accept her as his wife forms the rest of the story.
DAAWAT-E-ISHQ, which has been directed and written by Habib Faisal (who had earlier made films like DO DOONI CHAAR, ISHAQZAADE), fails to live upto the standards of a YRF film. This film, despite dealing with a sensitive issue and a strong social message, loses its track gradually as the film progress. While the film has a comparatively engaging first half, it stumbles in the dragging second half. Plus, the slow pace of the film doubles up as a villain in the film's progress. Having bankable names like YRF, Aditya Roy Kapur and Parineeti Chopra at the helm of things, Habib had immense scope as a director to shape the film into a sensible one, but that doesn't quite happen.
As for the actors, Aditya Roy Kapur excels and shines as the Hyderabadi lad Taariq. He can be very aptly termed as the true charmer in this film, who delivers an effortless performance. He has taken immense care to perfect the accent and the mannerisms of his character. Unfortunately, he appears 50 minutes later into the film. Parineeti Chopra, on the other hand, who is known for her ability to get into her characters with utmost ease, seems like a bit of a misfit in the role of Gulrez. Not that her act lacks the spunk but her imbalanced and poorly written character makes her look very confused in the film. Anupam Kher, as the girl's father, too does not bring anything new to the table and seems to have got stuck in the stereotype role. While the film solely rests on these three principal characters, the rest of the characters simply help in carrying the film forward.
Despite the film being an 'invitation to love', there is nothing delicious about the film's music (Sajid-Wajid). Except for the title song, the other songs are a big letdown and don't register. On the other hand, the film holds its steam because of its crisp editing (Meghna Manchanda Sen) and its cinematography (Himman Dhamija). Despite the presence of Sham Kaushal for action, the action scenes in the climax scene look gimmicky.
The film does have its moments of emotions, comedy and drama. Parineeti does complete justice in the climax scene when she explains the reason behind her master plan to Aditya. Parineeti's scenes with Anupam Kher and her 'bidaai' scene invoke a few laughs. However, it's hard to believe that the character of Anupam Kher, who is a very honest man and Parineeti, who is a well-educated state topper, would even think of pulling off such a big con-job. Karan Wahi's segment too seems forced into the first half, making it drag. A special mention does go to the father-daughter relationship shown between Anupam and Parineeti, as they seem to share a great rapport on-screen.
On the whole, the plot of DAAWAT-E-ISHQ does have a good social message relevant to today's times, however, wrong marketing and slow pace of the film leaves the audience a bit disappointed.
