Hello everyone, it is me, your Feisty Indian Aunty who just watched another Indian series on Netflix called Feels Like Ishq. This is an anthology series that feature a selection of short stories based on “Ishq” which means “love” in Hindi. Did I like them? Very much so! Mainly because these episodes were so different from the usual boy meets rich girl or vice versa, falls in love, fights with parents, and may get married or die/kill themselves in the end.
This was an incredibly easy watch and I binged all six episodes. Here now are some quick and dirty takes on each of these stories.
Save the Da(y)te is about marriage and all of the fears that come with it. In it, a bridesmaid and a wedding planner bicker about love and commitment while on the hunt for a runaway bride. It is a very simple story, but one the deftly demonstrates the kind of stress a bride faces even after she’s found her man, even if it is a love marriage, and even if her future husband is, in fact, her soul mate. The trials and tribulations of a marriage, with parents, in-laws, and out-laws, are the reason why so many young people often fight shy of getting hitched. While the outcome of this particular tale is predictable and somewhat expected, I nevertheless enjoyed my journey with these characters.
Quaranteen Crush is something that can happen anywhere (and at any time) under the present circumstances. A young teen spies a beautiful girl quarantined in the house opposite his. She plays the guitar, so does he, and the smitten teen goes out of his way to win her heart. This straightforward premise was executed incredibly well, giving us what felt like a truthful portrayal of budding love in the age of social distancing. Mihir Ahuja is absolutely fantastic as the young boy in love. Definitely one to watch.
Star Host was my favourite episodes because it portrayed a relationship between people with very different temperaments. This one is about the first time host of a home share and the irate and resentful guest he is forced to cater to. Both Rohit Saraf and Simran Jehani’s have amazing chemistry together so it’s believable when they transition from being annoyed at one another to the beginnings of love. This episode is very sappy and soapy, but there was nevertheless a crucial message here about being able to identify your blessings and being able to appreciate them.
She Loves me, She Loves Me Not is risqué. At least for India. This episode is about a quiet, self-effacing but bright, closeted gay girl who befriends charismatic colleague. When she realizes that her friend too is gay, she is delighted. She is, however, terrified of exploring her feelings. Ruthless relationships can scar you for life and both these women have their own baggage to navigate. What made this episode really stand out was how the writers approached the story. They didn’t make a meal of the whole lesbian angle. They didn’t sensationalize the story in any way. Gay or straight. Love is love. And here, the emotional struggles of two gay women are treated with great respect and insight.
No. Wait. I take that back. Interview is my favourite episode of this series. Just like She Loves me, She Loves Me Not, this was an episode that doesn’t overplay its hand. In it, a young, confident woman goes to great lengths to encourage a less-confident, less qualified candidate for a job that she too is applying for. It is an unexpected pairing and a great premise. Excellent performances by Zayn Marie Khan and Neeraj Madhav make this love story between a Muslim girl and a Keralite man shine.
The last episode in the series, Ishq Mastana, is about a young man, who is recovering from a bad break-up, and ends up going on a blind date. He finds himself in the midst of an environmental protest where he meets his feisty, energetic date. This is essentially the story of a date gone wrong. These are two starkly different personalities and while their romance feels a little improbable at times – he’s privileged and self-centered, she’s a rebel with a cause – this episode, like some of the others, seems more concerned with the idealistic notions of love rather than its realistic pitfalls.
Loving relationships should begin with friendship between young people (I am trying to be unbiased towards gender and sexual preference here) before it turns into love. Friendships are known to last a lifetime but love at first sight can often be be disastrous.
Feels Like Ishq is different from other Bollywood fare because it avoids the usual tropes associated with the genre. They aren’t afraid to take on taboo subjects. Neither are they just more of the same. Yes, all of these stories are saccharine sweet. But they also feel genuine. All of the performances were great. And I found some truly heartfelt moments that really resonated with me. All in all, a great way to spend an afternoon.
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