Ishqiya: Heartland Heist review

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“Ishqiya” is a tickly crime drama that rides high on the Hindi heartland humour and adorable performances by the leading duo of Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi. Certainly one of the most assured debuts of the year; the film is capable of winning hearts with its comical subversions and timely surprises; all the while flowing closer to the river Ganges and genre caper.

First timer Abhishek Chowbey is destined to be compared with Vishal Bhardwaj, whom he has been a longtime associate. His use of the heartland lingo (metro-dwellers might miss out on the humour at times), a setting grittily closer to the backyard of the shining India and characters who’re funny yet humane are reminiscent of a style that Bhardwaj has established by now as his signature. Chaubey takes a leaf from Bhardwaj’s book and builds an intricately plotted, highly stylized film that fleetingly portrays the shadowy corners of India without compromising on the joy of grippingly humorous storytelling.

Chaubey’s film is driven by the disarmingly adorable duo of an uncle (Khalujaan) and a nephew (Babban Husein) played by Naseeruddeen Shah and Arshad Warsi respectively. Performances which are fated to be remembered for a long time, especially Warsi’s whose character Babban is as funny and memorable as the “Circuit” of Munnabhai.

The duo plays petty criminals who believe in living a king-size life that wins them the wrath of their kingpin. Their hilarious escape from the literal grave where they were about to be buried alive take them to the mystery woman Krishna (Vidya Balan), whose character seems a subversion of Sholay’s Thakur. The lady takes them in to carry out a revenge plot that she weaves like a spider and the duo gets hopelessly caught in it like bugs thanks to her irresistable charm and romantic overtures. However, this isn’t Thakur’s village but a sleepy town of Hindi heartland (Gorakhpur to be specific) that’s caught in the middle of booming bazaars, overcrowded temples, private armies, a wannabe-seen-on-television businessman and his sexual perversions. Chaubey firmly keeps his films within the restrains of the popular cinema yet subverts it at every possible occasion.

Interestingly, the film has a woman deserted by her husband for a “cause”, as its protagonist. No there isn’t a Gabbar here but what we have for a kind of villain here is equally menacing though thickly pickled in comedy. Vidya Balan ably plays the lady-in-lead that has a series of shades ranging from a loving wife, woman with a hurt pride, a plotter and a lover; certainly a role that gives her every opportunity to successfully prove her acting prowess.

It’s bizarre that this hugely entertaining and mostly gripping film is built on a rather shaky foundation. The only unconvincing element of the plot is the premise itself that’s built effectively in the opening scene, only to be loosely justified in the end. The film would have been nothing less a masterpiece had this flimsy premise been dealt with effectively. Nevertheless, if you’re willing to be taken in for a joyride of suspended disbelief, you’re in for a side-splitting feat.

Abhishek Chaubey’s “Ishqiya” is a breeze of fresh air, that’s rich in its depiction of social milieu, observation, style and humour. Abhishek indeed establishes himself as a director with huge promise and ingenuity.

“Isqiya” is a great entertainer and a must watch.