How Abhishek Chaubey’s Dedh Ishqiya fulfilled Naseeruddin Shah’s wish of playing a romantic role

In Ishqiya, Shah’s portrayal of Iftikhar, a man concealing his longing for Krishna (Vidya Balan), showcased a restrained yet profound depiction of love. Though Shah had just one romantic sequence with Vidya Balan in Ishqiya, his wish to play a romantic hero was fulfilled in its sequel, Dedh Ishqiya.

In the film, Shah captivated viewers without resorting to grand gestures or dance sequences. He simply donned the persona of a nawab and serenaded his audience with ghazals, shayaris and songs like “Zabaan Jale Hai.” Shah’s look was deadly in Dedh Ishiqua. In a room filled with nawabs, when Iftikhar locked his eyes with his lost love Begum Para (Madhuri Dixit), she had no choice but to take note of him.

Dedh Ishqiya witnessed a bolder Iftikhar who didn’t repeat the mistake of hiding his feelings. He presented a stolen necklace to Para after arriving at her decaying haveli. While Iftikhar deceived Para about his true identity, his rundown face and grey hair revealed the truth of his arduous life. Despite being aware of his deception, Para succumbed to his charm, and how could she not? Iftikhar’s actions spoke volumes about his devotion to love. Apart from expressing his love through stolen gifts and shayaris, he also picked up arms and fought for her. He justified his troubles for love, declaring, “Iss bar pyaar saacha hai, humara bhi aur unka bhi (This time the love is true, of mine and of hers).”

Iftikhar wasn’t an easy character to like. He was dubious, scamming and selfish, but Naseeruddin Shah brought an irresistible charm to him. The decision to cast Madhuri Dixit, known for her romantic roles, opposite Shah, proved to be a stroke of genius. Madhuri’s timeless beauty and charm complemented Shah’s performance, making their chemistry palpable.

In an industry where love and desire between characters were often portrayed through the meeting of two flowers, the notion of showcasing romance between middle-aged people seemed unthinkable for many years. Though films like Honeymoon Travels (2007) and Life In A Metro (2007) had already challenged this notion, Shah and Madhuri’s chemistry took this idea to another level in Dedh Ishqiya. Their portrayal of mature love and longing not just showcased their versatility as actors but also lent power to unconventional storytelling.

Despite his inclination towards romantic roles, Shah has not received many opportunities from mainstream filmmakers. In a 2011 interview with the Times of India, he expressed his desire to explore such characters “I am very romantic at heart in real life. But I fail to understand how come, directors, never saw me performing romantically inclined roles. In Ishiqua I did perform a romantic sequence in a challenging manner opposite Vidya Balan. This is the only romantic character offered to me in my lifetime.”

Fortunately, Naseeruddin Shah’s wish to portray a full-fledged romantic character was granted by the makers of Ishqiya. In the sequel, he embraced a romantic role and delivered a brilliant performance. In a poignant scene in Dedh Ishqiya, Iftikhar admits, “Hum bhi dhoondh rahi hai kabse apane aapko (I have been searching for myself for so long).” Just as Naseeruddin continues to discover himself through his characters, his quest for a romantic Bollywood hero culminated with this film.