Ishqiya was a brilliant all round movie with top class acting, gripping script and classy cinematography. A sequel would be challenging to make as sequels are seldom better or even as good as the original. So with a sense of foreboding I landed up to watch Dedh Ishqiya one Saturday afternoon, only to be pleasantly surprised at the outcome :)
The casting in the movie is as great as the first one. Naseeruddin (Khalu) and Arshad (Babban) are arguably the most lovable Scoundrels on the screen today. Madhuri and Huma , most probably, a pairing no one saw coming do a fine job of adding a twist to the ending.. The rest play a great supporting cast (Vijay Raaz as Jaan Mohammed and Manoj Pahwa as Noor Mohammed Italvi...
The movie starts with Babban in trouble with his uncle and is about to be buried. His uncle treats him a reason to keep on living and allows his to escape from time to time. The two scoundrels are upto no good as usual and steal a necklace. However, the heist goes wrong and the two have to separate. Babban gives up Khalu as lost/dead.
The movie revolves around a challenge thrown by Shahi Begum (aka Madhuri), who has proclaimed that she would marry any poet who can win her heart. Its an open challenge and many wannabe's who want to win her heart come to compete. One of the competitors is obviously Jaan Mohammed , the local goonda who wants to be a Nawab and is rich. The other is Khalujaan, who has been yearning for Shahi Begum for a long time. The entire plot revolves around the shenanigans of this ensemble to win her heart. A word for Huma Qureshi - she plays Madhuri's lady in waiting (a brazen hussy with no qualms!!) quite convincingly. She comes across as a sensual temptress of yore and is a welcome addition to the script.
The script is good at the start and maintains the momentum, but somewhere towards the last 45 mins, it starts meandering and borders on the ridiculous. I agree with the writers who wanted to give a twist to the ending, but the manner in which it has been executed leaves the much to be desired.
Acting is top class and makes the film engaging. Madhuri and Naseeruddin once again prove that good actors need not get sidelined to Mom-Dad roles when they age. They can play the lead comfortably and carry it off.
The movie is slow placed and full of twists like the old historical drama's. The ending is unconventional and is probably a first in Hindi movies. I would recommend people to watch it atleast once to develop a taste for a finely crafted movie unlike the wham-Bams like Dhoom 3 and chennai express that we are slowly getting accustomed to.
Rating - *** 1/4
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