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Shahid Kapoor’s debut film in the industry, Ishq Vishq was released back in 2003 when both - the moral compass and a woman’s consent were lost concepts in society, made for an utterly unflattering, sexist and problematic film of its time.
Of course, when it was released I was only 7-years-old and didn’t understand much (or at all), but over the years as I have watched this college romance again and again, I’ve come to realise this movie was not as much about ‘Ishq’ as we were made to believe...
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The movie starts with a scene at Rajiv aka Shahid Kapoor’s home where his father is busy getting distracted by the over-sexualised maid ‘Kamla’ who is obviously mopping the floor with a visible cleavage while Rajiv’s father conveniently blames women and their parents for letting girls wear short or revealing clothes, which according to him, is what distracts men in the first place.

And that right there sets the tone for the entire film - sexist and problematic. It’s surprising how consistent they were with the theme all throughout the movie.
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Rajiv, on the other hand, is busy reading porn magazines in the washroom, while his best friend Mambo is hitting on the maid with jingles that are as cheap and lame as the plot of the movie is going to be.

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Soon we’re taken to the ‘Spencer College’, where we establish that the only way you earn a good social reputation is by having a girlfriend if you’re a boy, or by putting out if you’re a girl.

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Hence, the behen ji status for Miss Payal aka Amrita Rao, who is looked down upon because she doesn’t date. Such a sinner, this one!

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Payal is madly in love with Rajiv, but the little porn addict is too busy pining over other girls in the college, you know, the ones wear shorter clothes and are simply presumed to date and put out easily.

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By this time, it is clear that the sole purpose of making this film was to be able to objectify women on the big screen. And another element that does it well is the entry of a crass and cringy ‘love guru’ Rocky who is here to give all sorts of f**ked up and misogynistic advice to guys for being able to get into women’s pants. And by advice, I mean suggesting to lie. #AllTheCoolKidsDoIt

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An offer that Rajiv soon takes up, when the ‘cool guys gang’ invite him and his friend Mambo to a road trip *provided* that they both get girls with them.

Seriously, the obsession that this movie had with girls is annoying and borderline disturbing.
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Since loser Rajiv cannot possibly get any girl, he decides to take a safe bet with Payal, the one girl who has been in love with him since school. Because if we are touching base on all stereotypes why not on the old and classic ‘good girls love bad boys’ cliche too?

After a very minimal struggle, in fact after just saying one very non-convincing ‘I love you’, Payal agrees to date Rajiv.
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After a few songs and panoramic shots, Rajiv and Payal’s equation starts escalating. In fact, at one point, Rajiv self-invites himself to her house and makes her deeply uncomfortable with his physical advances. Yet another red flag that the blinded-by-love-Payal fails to see. Maybe because she is too busy seeing the moon from a channi on Karvachauth, a fast she keeps for her 2-minute-old boyfriend...

The time for the much-awaited road trip comes. 9 people ride in one open jeep, and both logic and plot start taking a hike from here on...
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They arrive, they party, they chill and everything is fairly decent until horny Romeo Rajiv tries to force himself on Payal who has made it clear she doesn’t want to do anything but hold hands and sing songs with him.

Obviously, the guy doesn’t listen, crosses the line into emotionally blackmailing her and nearly molesting her. And when Payal slaps him, it unleashes the misogynist within Rajiv as he proves himself to be the wannabe insensitive f**kboi we always presumed he was.
The trip ends, but sadly the movie goes on.
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Everyone bumps into each other again at the cafeteria, Rajiv’s friends stand in support of Payal and Rajiv, on the other hand, stands knee-deep in the pool of his self-inflated ego. Which he would only put aside if Payal kissed him in front of everyone. Because horniness has no time or place or decency.

Payal naturally, doesn’t, and our protagonist Rajiv turns into the antagonist, vowing to date the hottest girl on campus.
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Enters Alisha aka Shehnaz Treasury, who makes waves in the college with her fake accent and short skirts. Because that is all you need to have as a woman to be looked at with desire.

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With some b-grade advice from the love guru to again lie, Rajiv manages to lure Alisha into a relationship that is as taxing as Shehnaz’s overacting.

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Things take a toxic turn when Rajiv, just like his father, blames Alisha for her choice of clothes after she is eve teased by a bunch of kids on the road.

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Soon after a couple of awkward run-ins, Rajiv realises he is at fault and still in love with Payal. Could the plot be any more predictable? Rajiv’s jealousy to see Mambo and Payal together pushes him to confront his feelings for Payal, but in the worst way possible.

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Mambo and Rajiv get into an awkward duel over Payal and Alisha, where, once again, Payal is blamed for ruining everything whereas Alisha was the one who sparked the fire. But karma gets right back at her when Rajiv says ‘I love you’ to Alisha, followed by ‘Payal’s name instead of Alisha’s...Oops!

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Following the lead of all other Bollywood movies, the movie ends with Rajiv and Payal getting back together where once again, all it takes for Payal to take him back is one more unconvincing and rather offensive speech by Rajiv.

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Of course, Payal forgives him despite realising she is too good for him. Because, toxicity > everything else.

The End.

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