Both movies released Friday and had star-studded red-carpet premieres in the capital Thursday, but “Ishqiya” took the cake with almost 80 percent collections in the opening weekend. “Rann” got only around 30 percent collections.

“‘Ishqiya’ has got a strong opening in both Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in both multiplexes and single-screens. It has got around 80 percent business over the initial weekend,” Yogesh Raizada, corporate head (cinemas) of Wave Cinemas, told IANS.

“The dialogue delivery in the movie is very good and it is a typical masala movie but the drawback is that everyone might not like it because it has its own class. While ‘Rann’ is gripping but has managed only around 30 percent opening. There has been no initial for this one. It has its own class but no mass appeal,” he added.

Delhi-based distributor Joginder Mahajan also echoed the same.

“‘Rann’ has fared very poorly thanks to its subject. ‘Ishqiya’ on the other hand has been average vis-a-vis ‘Rann’. It is an ordinary affair with local appeal. Though the masses are watching it but the film is not for everyone because some are finding it a bit cheap,” said Mahajan.

“Surprisingly, ‘Ishqiya’ is performing better in multiplexes and not in B and C sectors. We are expecting it to earn an average Rs.2 crore overall in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh,” he added.

Distributed in India by Boney and Sridevi Kapoor’s film and television entertainment company BSK Network and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, “Ishqiya” has been co-produced by Shemaroo Entertainment and Vishal Bhardwaj.

The directorial debut of Abhishek Chaubey, the movie has actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Vidya Balan and Arshad Warsi.

“Rann” on the other hand has been made at a budget of Rs.30 crore and is primarily about the conflict between business and conscience in the electronic media. It features megastar Amitabh Bachchan along with Riteish Deshmukh, Gul Panag and Paresh Rawal.

“The failure of ‘Rann’ has again given a dud out of Ram Gopal Varma’s camp. While ‘Ishqiya’ has the rustic and poetic appeal very common to Vishal Bhardwaj. No matter whatever the fate, his movies somehow do manage to leave an effect on the audiences’ minds,” said an industry source.

Expected to stretch for the week, “Ishqiya” now sees competition with Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol’s much-awaited first release of the year “My Name Is Khan” releasing Friday.

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ISHQIYA MOVIE REVIEW

You need to have a strong stomach to absorb ISHQIYA. It’s high on drama, it’s wild, it’s real. But it’s not dark, it’s not sleazy, it’s not crass. Frankly, you don’t expect debutante director Abhishek Chaubey to make a stereotypical fare thanks to the tutelage by his guru Vishal Bhardwaj, who loves to swim against the tide and undertake risks in film after film.

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dil to bacha hai { video }

You could call ISHQIYA a distant cousin of OMKARA. Set in Gorakhpur in North India, the film has a rustic feel, depicts characters that may make you uncomfortable and is laced with saucy lingo. Yet, it’s different than OMKARA.

Two thieves, Khalujaan [Naseeruddin Shah] and Babban [Arshad Warsi], are on the run from their boss, Mushtaq. They seek refuge at a friend’s house, but instead meet his widow, Krishna [Vidya Balan]. The time spent together draws the duo to her, Khalu with his tinted vision of old-fashioned love and Babban with his lustful eye. But the past catches up with all three!

There’s no denying that the promos had prepared me of the journey ahead, yet it took me a good 15-odd minutes to get into the world of Khalujaan, Babban and Krishna. But once you get sucked into their world, the blurred images start getting clearer and clearer and you become an active participant in their journey.

The first hour passes in a jiffy, but the story actually gets dramatic and volatile in its second hour. It’s at this stage that things start getting more and more unpredictable. The story does a somersault every 10 minutes and by the time it reaches its finale, you’re curious to know how the debutante director would conclude this saga. The end, of course, will have its share of advocates and adversaries, but the fact remains that it’s offbeat.

Every actor in ISHQIYA delivers a sparkling performance! Naseeruddin Shah is superb as a romantic. He is matchless in the sequence when he learns the truth about Vidya and Arshad. Arshad packs in a bravura performance yet again. Post MUNNABHAI films, Arshad should be liked in this one the maximum. Vidya continues to surprise. It’s a dynamic performance undoubtedly. PAA and ISHQIYA are two landmarks in her career.

On the whole, ISHQIYA is definitely worth a watch. The film has a riveting plot, great performances, soulful music, an absorbing story and skilful direction to make the viewer fall in ishq with it. It should appeal to the hardcore masses as also the multiplex junta.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It is said that even a small thing would instantly send her into peals of laughter. Making the use of the situation, Arshad Warsi, the hero of the movie, started calling her ‘Giggles’. He revealed, “Vidya laughs a lot and can’t control herself. She just goes on laughing like crazy. She doesn’t even need someone to crack a joke… she laughs just like that. Sometimes she used to crack up in the middle of a shot and then Naseerudin and I had to wait till she finished… Man, that’s some talent she has! So we call her Giggles.”

Heyy Babyy, control yaar!