Starring: Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Huma Qureshi
Directed by: Abhishek Chaubey
Music: Vishal Bhardwaj
Some women are blessed with eternal beauty and grace that is beyond the imaginative powers of the mankind. Such is the magical demeanor of the evergreen diva- Madhuri Dixit. Dedh Ishqiya, the sequel of the comedy thriller Ishqiya, marks the comeback of this graceful lady. Adding to the grandeur of its prequel, Dedh Ishqiya is dedh-times more interesting and engaging as a thriller.
Plot: Begum Para, a middle-aged widow of the Nawab of Mahmudabad, organizes a festival of poetry, promising to marry the winner. Khalujan, a conman, fakes as a Nawab to try his luck with the begum. In order to settle old scores, Babban, his partner in crime, lands up at the same place. And then begins the conspiracy! Is it the conspiracy of love or the simply a game of bluff, this is what keeps the excitement alive!
Performances: They say everything in this world is mortal and will be perished with the course of time. But I totally disagree! The divine beauty and mesmerizing charm that Madhuri Dixit beholds is indeed eternal. Her acting spells magic and her dance enchants rhythm with every beat. No matter how much you praise about this goddess, it will always be less!
Naseeruddin Shah is dynamic and incredibly natural. His caliber speaks of his seniority as an actor.
No wonder why Arshad warsi is said to be the most underrated actor of bollywood. The kind of potential and talent that he has, demands praise and applaud. He was the true essence of Ishqiya and continues to be the same in Dedh Ishqiya.
Huma Qureshi looks gorgeously beautiful and poised. With the kind of confidence that this lady has, she is all set to find a good place in Bollywood.
The best thing about the brand Ishqiya is the riveting chemistry between the partners in crime, Arshad and Naseeruddin Shah. They are the most entertaining conmen I have ever seen.
Music: The music of Ishqiya was amazingly electrifying and thus it was but natural to expect the same from Dedh Ishqiya. Since the film is based on the royalties of Nawabs, the music has been composed on the same note. The soundtrack is soulful and melodious with the lyrics by Gulzar adding to the brilliance.
What’s Good: An intricately woven plot with intelligent narration, power-packed performances by the best of actors, the harmoniously soulful music, impressive dialogues, poetry and to top it all, the breathtaking moves of the dancing queen of bollywood, Madhuri Dixit.
What’s Bad: For those who aren’t really fond of art and literature, the movie will be hard to comprehend. The slow pace and long duration of the movie can be a fluster. The excessive use of Urdu language is a little tricky to understand.
The much awaited sequel of Ishqiya has finally made it to the box-office. And as the name suggests, it is an addition to the eminence that its prequel had acquired. While the prequel was rustic and wild, the sequel is gracious and poignant. Even though there are a number of reasons to watch this film, Madhuri Dixit is the best one! If not for anything else, watch Dedh Ishqiya solely for her!
Verdict: Watch Dedh Ishqiya only if you admire dark thrillers.
Rating: *** and a 1/2
