Gustaakh Ishq Movie Review: Vijay Varma-Fatima Sana Shaikh Starrer Is Lovely to Look At, Light on Story
Rating: 3/5
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Varma, Fatima Sana Shaikh
Director: Vibhu Puri
Storyline:
Nawabuddin (Vijay Varma) is drowning in bills and trying to save his dad’s tiny printing press in the packed lanes of Purani Dilli when he discovers the magical shayari of retired legend Aziz (Naseeruddin Shah). Convinced these writings could turn his luck around, he marches off to convince the grumpy genius to let him publish them.
But then he meets Mannat (Fatima Sana Shaikh), who happens to be Aziz’s newly divorced, charming, slightly chaotic daughter, and suddenly life gets a lot more complicated. Now Nawabuddin is torn between impressing his idol, saving the family business, and falling headfirst into love. Will Aziz let his words see the light of day, and will Nawabuddin and Mannat’s spark survive the emotional rollercoaster that follows?
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Gustaakh Ishq Movie Review:
If you want a film that smells like old paper and soft lamplight, this one fits the mood perfectly. Vibhu Puri creates a dreamy, quaint world that feels almost handcrafted.
The production design is gorgeous, Fatima’s clothes are a total moment, and the whole place carries this old world, vintage charm that’s hard to resist. The soundtrack is equally lovely, the kind that makes you want to start casually dropping poetic Urdu lines into everyday conversations.
Performance-wise, everyone is in top form. Vijay Varma is charming, flirty, and completely at ease, giving the film a warm, lived-in feel. Fatima Sana Shaikh is dreamy, graceful, mysterious, and effortlessly charming. Together, they spark beautifully on screen and deliver that slow burn chemistry the film leans on. And then there is Naseeruddin Shah, who brings all the gravitas. He’s the heart of the movie, anchoring it with elegance and those delicious Urdu monologues. Sharib Hashmi adds a welcome dose of humour, keeping things light when the film gets too lost in its own poetry.
But here’s where things wobble. The first half is slow but charming. The second half… kind of wanders off. The film loves its flowery prose so much that the plot and characters often get pushed to the side. Sometimes it feels like you’re looking at a pretty painting and admiring the colours, but you’re not totally sure what it’s trying to say.
The central conflict never really grabs you, the narrative tension doesn’t quite build the way it should, and the ending lands with a soft thud, leaving you wishing for something tighter and more impactful.
Even the setting feels confused. It’s meant to be the mid-90s, but everything looks much older, and a sudden Karan Johar reference makes it even more muddled.
Still, despite all that, the film leaves you with this soft, wistful feeling. It’s dreamy, nostalgic, and lovely to look at, even if the plot is a little bland. Perfect for one of those yearning, romantic moods where vibe matters more than story.
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