Ishqeria

If a girl woos a guy, and lies a bit when she does it, should a guy feel bad when he finds out she did that? After all, all is fair in love and war, right? This is the main premise of Ishqueria, directed by debutant filmmaker Prerna Wadhwan. While some may say that it’s okay if she takes the support of her gal pals to get the man of her dreams, Neil Nitin Mukesh’s Raghav thinks otherwise. He gets so hurt by the fact, that he leaves the country for good. But before he leaves, he marries the girl as well. Watch the film to figure how that works out.

The best part of the film is the camaraderie between Kuhu (Richa Chadha) and her girlfriends. The loud mouthed Lovely played by Jubi Devasia especially stands out and provides some much needed comic relief in this drama that runs high on emotion. Richa Chadha as the happy go lucky girl who is head over heels in love is convincing. Neil, on the other hand, as the perennially sulking lover boy is not so much. His character is written out as a person who feels wronged by the world.

In terms of the plot, there is not a lot happening here. The non-linear narrative is confusing and is used to make an overtly simple tale seem dramatic. At a time when relatable love stories rule the roost, this one seems like a repackaged cheesy 90s flick. The music, too, with exotic vocals, does little to elevate your spirits. If sappy rom-coms are your thing, have a go.