What does the city of Benaras have in common with William Shakespeare? If you haven’t already guessed, the answer is, Bollywood. While the holy city of Benaras has served as the backdrop of many Hindi films, the latest being Raanjhanaa, we’ve also had a number of Hindi films based on Shakespeare’s plays. Maqbool and Omkara top the list.
Isaaq is the latest Indian adaption of Shakespeare’s timeless classic, Romeo & Juliet, and is set in Benaras. This classic story that lends itself to adaptation very easily, and regardless of how it is twisted to suit a filmmaker, the result can be a sheer pleasure to watch. But director Manish Tiwary fails in his effort to present Issaq in a substantial style.
The film follows high-profile political families in Benaras, the Kashyaps and the Mishras, who are at loggerheads with each other. Meanwhile, Rahul Mishra (Prateik) and Bachhi Kashyap (Amyra Dastur) meet by chance and fall in love. How their love story transforms along with a sub-plot of local Naxalites forms the crux of the story.
Tiwary presents a marvellous tale but due to a partially tipping screenplay, ends up presenting a lackadaisical adaptation. He and his writers Padmaja Thakore Tiwary and Pawan Sony fail to layer sentiment and passion to make this one heck of a love story. The story dips and the narration is undermined by the lack of chemistry and acting abilities of the lead pair. This, in turn, considerably brings down the narration of the film. However, kudos to Tiwary for making this film a visual treat and many scenes impress. The visual element is so strong that it often eclipses the screenplay.
The screenplay itself is a see-saw on the storyboard. Too much carnage and lack of passion between the lead pair taints the narration.
Technically, the film is not bad. Cinematography by Vishal Sinha is brilliant and he captures the essence of the screenplay. Editing is apt but could have been better. The run time of two hours, 28 minutes could have been shortened by 20 minutes. Costumes and locations fit the bill. Dialogue is mundane and not worth mentioning. Music is partially impressive and the background score helps the narration.
Performance-wise, Prateik fails to hold his character to the fullest. He lacks the passion and flamboyance of Romeo. Debutante Amyra Dastur lacks the zest to grasp her part adequately and there is little or no chemistry between the lead pair. Ravi Kishan plays his part with panache. Amit Sial is outstanding. Rajeshwari Sachdev is the best of the supporting cast. Vineet Kumar is good. Prashant Narayanan impresses. Neena Gupta emotes very well. Makarand Deshpande is flawless. Prashant Kumar is okay. The rest of the cast supports well.
Verdict: Dud!
