Ishq (2019 film)

Ishq...not a love story is an Indian Malayalam-language romantic thriller film written by Ratheesh Ravi and directed by Anuraj Manohar. It stars Shane Nigam and Ann Sheetal in the lead roles and also featuring Shine Tom Chacko and Leona Lishoy in supporting roles. The film is produced by Mukesh R Mehta, A.V. Anoop and C.V. Sarathi for AVA Productions.

Plot
The story follows the life of a Kochi-based youngster who is in chasing for happiness after an anguish. Critics had narrated this movie that Unlike old tales of romance, the Malayalam movie Ishq explores the definition of the word.

Cast

 * Shane Nigam as Sachi
 * Ann Sheetal as Vasudha
 * Shine Tom Chacko as Alwin
 * Leona Lishoy as Mariya
 * Parvathy T as Radhamma
 * Swasika as Kunjechi
 * Leona Lishoy as Maria
 * Jaffer Idukki as Mukundan
 * Kainakary Thankaraj
 * Prem Nath as Biju

Soundtrack
The film features a soundtrack composed by Jakes Bejoy, with lyrics penned by Joe Paul. The songs were released on 11 May 2019 by E4Entertainments.

Release
Ishq released on 17 May 2019 in India.

Critical Reception
Deepika Jayaram of The Times Of India rated the movie 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "The film gives a glimpse into the kind of moral policing that many are constantly subjected to, on our streets. It also shows how such experiences get etched into the minds of those who have had to go through such ordeals", while she also praised Shane Nigam and Ann Sheetal's acting.

Ashwin Baradwaj of Lensman reviews rated the movie 4/5 and reviewed, " Ishq is good example how to make message oriented film. Apart a small dialogue from Shane Nigam towards the end of the film, there hardly any spoon feeding here and what you get is an impactful cinema powered by solid performance and craft filled making.

Litty Simon of Manorama Online rated the movie 3.5/5 stars and reviewed, "Without diverting from its serious note, Ishq wins heart for the subtle nuances through which it tried to differentiate between 'love' and 'passion'."

Akhila Menon of Filmibeat wrote, "Ishq is not just another love story but discusses a highly relevant social issue in a highly effective manner. Do watch it..!!" and rated it 3.5/5 stars.

Cris of The News Minute rated the movie 2/5 stars and said, "The movie which begins promisingly enough, becomes a drag after a point and the issue of moral policing that it deals with is not handled well."