Gustaakh Ishq Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Vijay Varma, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Naseeruddin Shah
Director: Vibhu Puri
Gustaakh Ishq Movie Review Synopsis:
GUSTAAKH ISHQ is the story of poems, heartbreaks and a lot more. The year is 1998. Nawabuddin Saifuddin Rehman Rizvi aka Pappan (Vijay Varma) runs an Urdu printing press, Mustaqbil Printing Press, one of the few ones left in Delhi. His business is in ruins and to save the press, his brother Jumman (Rohan Verma) gets a sleazy writer, Faruqui (Lilliput), on board. Pappan refuses to print his works due to the nature of his writing. Faruqui leaves in a huff but happens to mention the name of a shayar named Aziz. His mother (Natasha Rastogi) freezes on hearing Aziz's name and this makes Pappan suspicious. Further enquiries reveal that Aziz Beg was a popular shayar of the early 70s. Sadly, one day, he disappeared from Delhi. Pappan finds his telephone number. He calls on the number, hoping to persuade Aziz to publish his works for the first time ever. Aziz's daughter Mannat (Fatima Sana Shaikh) picks up the phone. She gets intrigued by the offer and she asks him to come over to Malerkotla, Punjab, where they reside. Pappan arrives in Malerkotla and meets Mannat. However, Mannat makes it clear that her father doesn't want to publish his works. Not ready to back off, Pappan meets Aziz. He introduces himself as an aspiring shayar and requests that Aziz be his mentor. Aziz agrees, not realising that Pappan is simply here to publish his shayaris and save his printing press. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Gustaakh Ishq Movie Review Synopsis:
Vibhu Puri and Prasshant Jha's story is sweet. Vibhu Puri and Prasshant Jha's screenplay (script consultant: Mitesh Shah) is unhurried and engaging but has some rough edges. Vibhu Puri and Prasshant Jha's dialogues and Ashok Mizaj, Umair Najmi and Vibhu Puri's poetry are one of the USPs and also music to the ears. Thankfully, the language is easy to understand. Nevertheless, subtitles should be provided in every theatre for those not familiar with chaste Urdu.
Vibhu Puri's direction is simple and does justice to the storyline. The protagonist is flawed and yet, he's not toxic. In fact, there's no violence or intensity and this factor, along with the use of Urdu and focus on Muslim characters, makes GUSTAAKH ISHQ a one-of-a-kind movie. The romance builds up well, but what stands out is the bond shared by the 'shagird' with his mentor. Since the film is set in the pre-Internet and pre-cell phone era, the makers have used the lack of communication to their advantage. The intermission point is dramatic and the same goes for the scene set in Dera Baba Nanak.
On the flipside, the screenplay is also convenient in some places. It is bewildering that Pappan leaves his mother and brother in such a bad financial state for months and spends time in Malerkotla. It is not properly explained how he manages to sustain himself. The track of Parvez (Keshav Sadhna) comes up suddenly and is forgotten. The developments in the second half and pre-climax are crucial, but the direction is a bit shaky and also hurried, which doesn’t go well with the tone of the film. Lastly, the songs, on the whole, don't have the desired impact.
Gustaakh Ishq – Official Trailer | Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Varma, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sharib Hashmi
Gustaakh Ishq Movie Review Performances:
Vijay Varma is known for playing negative roles and here, he is in a diametrically opposite zone. Yet, he excels. His dialogue delivery is spot-on, which is crucial for his role. Fatima Sana Shaikh plays the difficult role with ease. She looks stunning and maintains a strong position despite the presence of talented actors. Naseeruddin Shah is adorable and only he could have played this role in this manner. Sharib Hashmi (Bhoore Attaché) is lovely, though his role should have been fleshed out better. Rohan Verma leaves a mark. He gets on your nerves, which is a good sign as it shows that his character has worked. Natasha Rastogi is decent. Shashi Bhushan (Mishra; tenant) is wasted. Jaya Bhattacharya (Khadeeja), Sameeksha Tripathi (Amrita) and Faisal Rashid (Saif; Pappan's father) are lovely. Zain Durrani (Young Aziz) is impressive and much better than his performance in AANKHON KI GUSTAAKHIYAN [2025].
Gustaakh Ishq movie music and other technical aspects:
'Ul Jalool Ishq' is catchy and lingers in one's mind for a long time. Sadly, the rest of the songs like 'Chal Musafir', 'Shehar Tere' and 'Aap Is Dhoop Mein' are forgettable. A film like this ought to have a soundtrack that stands out, especially when it's composed by Vishal Bhardwaj. Hitesh Sonik's background score is fine.
Manushnandan's cinematography is satisfactory and also breathtaking in a few scenes. Manish Malhotra and Shivank Vikram Kapoor's costumes are realistic and reminiscent of the bygone era. Madhumita Sen and Ajay Sharma's production design is also praiseworthy, but all sets looked similar, more or less. Divyashree Samantaray's editing is appropriate.
Gustaakh Ishq Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, GUSTAAKH ISHQ is a sweet and simple film, backed by earnest performances by the lead cast. At the box office, its poor awareness and limited buzz are likely to restrict its reach.
