Neither Prateik nor Amyra have the right spark to play these roles; their pairing seems odd as they hardly have any chemistry on screen.Film: Issaq
Cast: Prateik Babbar, Amyra Dastur, Evelyn Sharma, Makarand Deshpande
Director: Manish Tewary
Rating: *1/2
What’s it about
A desi adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Issaq is set against the backdrop of Benares is a love story of Rahul Mishra (Prateik Babbar) and Bachhi Kashyap (Amyra Dastur).
Both belong to warring families with burly moustached men who believe in the law of the gun. The first half introduces us to a plethora of characters and sub plots that have minimal importance to the main story.
Rahul and Bacchi do the rehearsed routine of courtship and indulge in lot of phone calls, silly banter, calling each other names and awkward kisses! Prashant Narayan’s track as the rebel leader who wants ownership of the sandpits owned by the families is included merely to raise the bloodshed on screen.
What’s hot
Ravi Kissen emerges as the sole survivor of this epic mess! Despite a cliché ridden character, he manages to infuse enough fire in his role to make the right noise. Similarly Rajeshwari Sachdev too impresses in her role as the seductress who changes the game towards the end.
What’s not
When supporting characters impress you more than the lead pair, there is a reason to worry. Neither Prateik nor Amyra have the right spark to play these roles. Their pairing seems odd as they hardly have any chemistry on screen.
Most of the dramatic scenes fall flat because the actors fail to engage you with their craft. Tewary adds too much in too little time for us to grasp. It feels like nothing but a travesty of the original work in every sense.
What to do
Issaq will challenge your patience and drown you in your own misery!
