Ishaqzaade Review

This could have been a great movie, but the potential was wasted. There was one thing I just couldn't get past. I guess if you don't care about this thing, Ishaqzaade is a good movie. Parineeti  Chopra  rules in this film. I love Zoya's spunkiness and would have wished a very different ending for her. Arjun Kapoor (haven't yet figured out what branch of the Kapoor family he stems from) did a good job of portraying Parma. Kudos to him for having the guts to play such a disgusting and ultimately wimpy anti hero in his debut film (though again, many people might think Parma redeemed himself in the end. I do not.).

 

I like the songs and Ishaqzaade has its fair share of humour -though I'm not sure it's always intended, like in Hua Chokra Jawaan Re.

Ishaqzaade is definitely worth a one time watch, but if you have a single feminist fibre in your body, be prepared to be very irritated by the second half. I give the movie credit for the attempt to convey the "don't kill young people because they fall in love with the "wrong" person" - message, but it in this case it didn't work for me. Reasons below.

MAJOR  SPOILERS BELOW - DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE!!!!

Ishaqzaade could have been one of the best revenge movies ever made. Then they went and ruined it by having Zoya forgive Parma for using her in the most despicable way, following the logic that forces rape victims to marry their rapist. I cannot get past this. I do not buy that Arjun really loved her in the end and I do not buy that she forgave him and this easily, too. That Romeo and Juliet ending made absolutely no sense to me in that respect. What should have happened is that Zoya should have taken her sweet revenge, either by humiliating him in some awesome way or by castrating him with a rusty knife. LOL I'd have loved Zoya to do that and then to become the leader of a gang and to rule over both, her horrible family and that of Parma's. As it is, I mourn the wasted potential of Ishaqzaade.