Gustaakh Ishq: Kuch Pehle Jaisa has a love story between Babban and Minnie, but in Nandini Ramnath’s reading, its deeper romance is with Urdu: the poetry, verbal sparring and old-world manners that give the film its most memorable passages. The film’s atmosphere and performances are more compelling than its later plotting, which loses momentum.
What is Gustaakh Ishq about?
Set in Delhi in 1998 and in Punjab, the Hindi romantic drama follows Babban, a young man trying to save his late father’s Urdu printing press. He approaches retired poet Aziz Baig for permission to publish Aziz’s poems. As Babban grows close to Aziz, he also falls for Aziz’s daughter, Minnie, and must contend with the tension between his feelings and the purpose that brought him there.
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That premise ties the romantic plot to the film’s interest in Urdu: Babban’s livelihood depends on finding a future for the press, while Aziz’s poetry gives the language a living presence. Ramnath’s review puts it this way: “In any case, the real romance in Gustaakh Ishq isn’t between Babban and Minnie, but with Urdu itself.” That is the critic’s interpretation, not a statement of the filmmakers’ intent.
Where the film is strongest
Language as a source of pleasure
The most engaging stretch, as Ramnath describes it, is the film’s leisurely exchange of poetry, refined manners and gentle jibes. Aziz’s observations about how Urdu should—and should not—be spoken become small lessons in the language as well as a way to define his character. The verbal back-and-forth between Aziz and Babban is a particular pleasure, making their bond feel more vivid than the central courtship.
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Performances and atmosphere
Naseeruddin Shah gives Aziz the authority and wit that animate those exchanges, while Vijay Varma makes Babban a persuasive presence beside him. Ramnath also praises the cinematography and costumes, which contribute to the film’s stylized, deliberately old-fashioned version of 1998. The result is a period mood built less around plot urgency than around the pleasure of spending time with its characters and their language.
Why the romance and pacing may not hold
The film’s main weakness, in Ramnath’s assessment, is that its later portions sag as plotting and character development lose focus. Minnie, played by Fatima Sana Shaikh, is too sketchily written in the review’s view to register fully as Babban’s love interest. That makes the central romance less affecting than the relationship between Babban and Aziz, and less persuasive as the story’s emotional centre.
The contrast is clearest across three critical lenses: atmosphere is stronger than narrative momentum; poetic dialogue is more engaging than plot development; and the ensemble’s performances have more texture than Minnie’s characterization. These are judgments about how the film plays, not measured scores or claims of critical consensus.
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Vishal Bhardwaj composed the songs, with lyrics by Gulzar. Ramnath notes that the soundtrack is not period-appropriate, while singling out “Ul Jalool Ishq” as one of its lovely tunes. The contrast is worth keeping in mind: the film’s old-world visual and conversational style does not extend consistently to its music.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Gustaakh Ishq: Kuch Pehle Jaisa, also rendered Gustaakh Ishq |
| Director and co-writers | Vibhu Puri; Puri and Prasshant Jha |
| Principal cast | Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Varma, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sharib Hashmi |
| Language and genre | Hindi romantic drama |
| Runtime | 128 minutes, according to the film overview |
| Release dates | IFFI premiere listed as 24 November 2025; theatrical release listed as 28 November 2025 |
Verdict: a love letter to language more than a sustained love story
Gustaakh Ishq is most rewarding when it slows down for Urdu, poetry and the prickly warmth between Babban and Aziz. Its romance with Minnie and its later plotting do not, in Ramnath’s view, sustain that early interest. For viewers drawn to literary exchanges and old-fashioned atmosphere, the film’s best scenes offer a clear reason to watch; those expecting the romance or narrative momentum to carry all 128 minutes may find the experience uneven.
Quick Recap
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