On the down side, the twists in the plot may seem unconvincing. But remember, the story is set in the 1990s, where there were no mobile phones and intimate scenes in the movies were rare. Songs composed by Vishal Bharadwaj and written by Gulzar are passable, with the exception of Ul Jalool Ishq. But it seems like the entire focus of the director was on the script and the poetry, not the music. Gustaakh Ishq feels like a cinematic revival of everything we once loved about Urdu story-telling. So if you are into literature, poetry and Urdu, and in the mood for a 'clean' love story, Gustaakh Ishq is a must watch.
But here's the problem: It's very predictable. In the first 20 minutes, you can guess how things will unfold. And so many loop holes in the plot! For instance, even though the army has been warned of a terrorist attack during a major event, a bomb is planted under the stage without anyone noticing. No metal detectors? No sniffer dogs? No basic security? This is the Indian Army we are talking about! The writing feels lazy. It expects the audience to suspend all logic. Prithviraj tries hard. He is a talented actor and commits to his role. But even he can't save the film.
