Film

Ishq

Name: Ishq
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Action
Released: 1997
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Aamir Khan, Kajol, Juhi Chawla Mehta, Dalip Tahil

Star-crossed romance

Ishq is a 1997 Hindi romantic comedy where two wealthy heirs fall for people outside their social class, sparking family chaos and elaborate schemes. It's a maximalist Bollywood romp—colourful, kinetic, shameless about its emotions, and stuffed with songs, slapstick, and genuine warmth. For anyone who loves romance films that treat love as an adventure worth fighting for.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want a sprawling 1990s Bollywood romance where class-clash heartbreak sits alongside slapstick, bright song-filled energy, and a hero who would rather fight than explain himself.

Skip it if you tire of long runtimes, broad slapstick, and melodrama that swings from gags to tears in a single scene.

What it asks of you: Settle in for close to three hours, a mood that lurches between farce, romance and action; it rewards full attention over background noise.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge1995

The gold standard of '90s Bollywood romance. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have effortless chemistry, the European setting is gorgeous, and it captures that same dizzy feeling of falling in love against all odds.

But Nearly three hours long, and if you're not in the mood for unironic declarations of love and family drama, it will feel indulgent.

Khiladi1992

Akshay Kumar at peak charisma in a film that juggles action, romance, and comedy with real flair. It's got the same energy as Ishq—plot barely matters, fun matters absolutely.

But The action sequences are very '90s, which means they can feel slow and dated if you've grown up on faster cutting.

Maine Pyar Kiya1989

The film that basically created modern Bollywood romance. Salman Khan and Bhagyashree are utterly charming, and it proved that a love story could carry an entire film if done with genuine sweetness.

But It's even longer than Ishq, and the pacing is glacial by modern standards. Patience required.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Ishq

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Dil Se..1998

Both are '90s Hindi romances about social class as destiny, but Ratnam treats it as tragedy while Ishq treats it as comedy. They're the same film seen through opposite lenses.

Mani Ratnam's masterpiece is also about love across impossible divides, but it's shot with art-film precision and animated by genuine political weight. Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta are haunting. Same decade, same country, completely different register.

But It's bleak and unresolved in ways Ishq never pretends to be. The romance ends in tragedy. If you want warmth and resolution, this will devastate you.

Hera Pheri2000

A crime-comedy caper with Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar that proves comedy was always Devgn's secret weapon. Absurd, fast-paced, and endlessly quotable in India.

But The humour is very specifically calibrated to Indian audiences; some jokes won't translate if you're outside that context.

Raja1995

Madhuri Dixit and Ajay Devgn in a romantic drama that combines serious emotion with spectacular set pieces. Devgn proves he can anchor a film with genuine depth.

But The second half drags, and the ending feels like it was rewritten by committee. Some threads go nowhere.

Pardes1997

Released the same year as Ishq, it's another romance about class clash, but grittier and more overtly political. Shah Rukh Khan and Mahima Chaudhry are excellent.

But It can feel preachy about Indian values versus Western corruption. The messaging gets in the way of the love story.

Jeet1996

Ajay Devgn in a lighter action-romance that shows his range. Sunny Deol provides excellent support, and the film doesn't take itself too seriously.

But The plot is genuinely thin, and it relies entirely on star power and charm to carry it. If you need substance, look elsewhere.

Baazigar1993

Shah Rukh Khan's dark turn in a thriller-romance with real bite. It proves that '90s Hindi cinema could do moral complexity alongside spectacle.

But It's a revenge thriller with a twist ending that requires patience. Very different energy from Ishq's lightweight joy.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!1994

Both are unapologetically ornate celebrations of love as a force that reshapes entire families. Both are films that work because they believe in their own romance completely.

Sooraj Barjatya's four-hour epic is the apotheosis of wholesome Bollywood spectacle—every song, every scene, every frame engineered for maximum emotional satisfaction. If you love Ishq's maximalism, this is maximalism perfected.

But It's a wedding film, which means it's interested in family harmony above all else. By the end you may feel emotionally exhausted rather than moved.

Rang De Basanti2006

Structural cousins: ensemble youth, elaborate set pieces, big emotions, but Rang De Basanti grows up where Ishq stays young. They're the same actor and the same era learning to mean different things.

A decade later, Bollywood grew up. This film uses the same energy and ensemble spirit as Ishq but channels it into political awakening and social change. Aamir Khan (your Ishq co-star) leads a generation toward something bigger than romance.

But It's explicitly about activism and mortality, which is heavy. The film asks hard questions Ishq never needs to ask. Tonal whiplash if you go in expecting lightness.