May 11, 2012 Y. Sunita Chowdary
For a moment you think that Parineeti Chopra is the hero and also the heroine of Ishaqzaade but by the end of the story the spirited girl's character is reduced to a flat tyre, even the dancing girl showed some spunk giving them security, support, hope and courage. The story is about Chauhans and the Qureshis, a Hindu and a Muslim family who are constantly warring, the oneupmanship is for power.
Parineeti Chopra plays Zoya who trades her earrings for a revolver, she drives a jeep, is brought up like a man in the house, given a lot of freedom and her father secretly indulges in the feeling that one day she would be his heir and MLA. The gutsy woman makes you fall in love with her independent and feisty character, she holds your attention throughout the first half of the film.
She moves without a veil and gives electoral speeches in the campus ground, and on one such occasion gets into a fracas and then falls in love with the Chauhan boy Parma (Arjun Kapoor). Fiery passion follows in day light in a train in shambles which she calls a suhaag raat but that becomes an act of vendetta for the hero. With a complete Punjabi lingo and a conversation that is devoid of sweet nothings, the story begins to look like Romeo and Juliet's but amidst a grim backdrop and gunshots.
In one scene that brings a smile is..Parma is willing to convert and if he does Zoya asks what would his name be. Parma says Akbar spontaneously and Zoya retorts, "Akbar? History book padke aaye ho kya?" The setting, ambience is perfect..it reminds you of a period where families are willing to do anything to save their honour, even give up on their love for their children, here it is for political benefits.
The last act is shocking, silly and nullifies the entire effort that has gone into the writing for the first half. The conversation on she scoring cent percent in chemistry, loving the chemistry lab appears out of track and the next scene she gives him a surprising suggestion. The man relents so easily and there is no emotion at all from his side.
Arjun Kapoor has the brawn but he is not flexible, the dialogue delivery and emotions need to be worked on, on some occasions he reminds one of Abhishek Bachchan. See the coincidence his on screen mom too dies in the film. Parineeti on the other hand goes completely by the script and her role swings with the pendulum.
Ishaqzaade is a powerful intense title and the love amidst violence is not sugar-coated, it's more passion and far less pulsating as the script moves ahead. It finally ends on a regressive note, showing a talented and a smart actor and her role as a spirited woman, who is abused and stalked and then asked for forgiveness and finally pushed by the writer to give up hope. Parineeta ends as a woman who supports the story and the hero.
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