‘Ishq Vishk Rebound’ movie review: Rohit Saraf, Pashmina Roshan struggle in cosmetic rom-com

Cliché abound in ‘Ishq Vishk Rebound’, director Nipun Dharmadikhari’s tale about the fickleness of new-age romance

Two decades after Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao made young hearts go aflutter with their unalloyed innocence and Alisha Chinai gave voice to their chemistry with “Chot Dil Pe Lagi, Pyaar Hone Laga”, Tips has mounted a spiritual sequel of Ishq Vishq. Unfortunately, the chot is only on pocket this time as the film brings to light the sorry state of young romance in Bollywood. The only spirited thing is a desi Halloween sequence to inject energy into a phony three-plus-one love story that refuses to take off.

When a film producer (Kusha Kapila) shows faith in a young screenwriter Raghav (Rohit Saraf), he draws from his love story to write his first script. He is attracted to Riya (Naila Grewal) while his friend Sahir (Jibraan Khan) is dating Sanya (Pashmina Roshan). However, their bonds turn out to be fragile as Raghav and Sanya start gravitating towards each other.

If the Ken Ghosh-directed original felt like the stretched story behind a music video, the sequel for the most pans out like a long episode of Splitsvilla where the confused and courageous youngsters keep indulging in vishk and vyar in the search for ishq and pyar. There is plenty of posturing and preening but hardly any heartfelt conversations; the twists feel perfunctory and the romantic energy is cosmetic.

Director Nipun Dharmadikhari employs the usual justifications to explain the behaviour of the protagonists. Sanya is insecure because she is a product of a broken marriage, Sahir is indecisive because of a regimental dad, and Raghav is big-hearted because his parents are perceptive. But none of the layers come through cogently on-screen and remains on paper. It is a story of four characters but the producer in the film keeps reminding us Sanya is central to the story; actor Pashmina happens to be the cousin of Hrithik Roshan.

Rohit has the charm to make a TV commercial or a music video work, while newcomer Pashmina faces the camera without inhibition but lacks the charisma to hold our attention. Strangely, the director seems more keen on capturing her physical attributes than the emotional output. Naila, who was impressive in Mamla Legal Hai, carries its confidence here but she is tasked with nurturing a half-baked character. Late in the film, the director had to make Sheeba Chaddha, in a cameo, explain his intentions before the audience steps out!

Ishq Vishk Rebound is currently running in theatres