Netflix’s new anthology series, Feels Like Ishq, features a whole host of young stars in different romantic tales, including Radhika Madan, Amol Parashar, Kajol Chug, Mihir Ahuja, Simran Jehani, Rohit Saraf, Saba Azad, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Zayn Khan, Neeraj Madhav, Tanya Maniktala and Skand Thakur. The filmmakers of each segment spoke up about what made their love story unique.
Every story has a unique scenario — they take place at a wedding, a protest or an interview. The connections are instantaneous.
In Save The Da(y)te, Radhika and Parashar end up meeting at a wedding, which is fairly commonplace. Director Ruchir Arun stated, “Love can happen anywhere, anytime in today’s day and age. Save The Da(y)te is one such story where two completely opposite individuals bump into each other at a wedding and spend ample amounts of time together, just to realise there might be something more. Both Radhika Madan and Amol Parashar are energetic and entertaining performers which helped us in bringing this relatable story to life.”
Kashyap Khurrana, who has earlier directed the shorts Toffee and Pinni, said her latest one, Quaranteen Crush, is “a subtle love story that blooms while the world is experiencing a global pandemic”. “It is a simple story that speaks volumes about care, innocence and friendship,” she said. “Kajol Chugh and Mihir Ahuja essay the roles of Nimmi and Maninder with ease, and their camaraderie ensures that the audience’s mood stays light.”
Tiwari, who helmed the series Bandish Bandits (2020) last year, said that his segment, Star Host was “a simple story about the serendipity of the universe that can bring two complete strangers together and creates wonders in unexpected ways.”
He continued, “We tried to bring in the elements of scenic views and nature to weave a story around our protagonists Aditya and Tara played by Rohit Saraf and Simran Jehani. Both have brought these characters to life with amazing performances that will make the audience remember what Ishq feels like.”
Director Danish Aslam, speaking about his episode She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not, said, “This was one of those stories that pretty much wrote itself once the characters were fleshed out. And Saba [Azad] and Sanjeeta [Bhattacharya] looked like they'd strolled straight out of the pages into the frame. They're both equal parts mad and poignant, which is pretty much what love is most of the time.”
Sachin Kundalkar, whose last project in Hindi was Aiyyaa (2012), said his episode title The Interview blended “different emotions of confidence, respect, understanding, care and eventually the spark of a strong bonding between two people”.
“Neeraj Madhav and Zayn Khan have a great screen presence together and their simplicity of characters makes the story so endearing. I can’t wait for audiences to witness their camaraderie,” he added.
Finally, Ishq Mastana director Jaydeep Sarkar stated, “Collaborating with Tanya Maniktala and Skand Thakur was an absolutely joyful experience. Both of them brought great authenticity and phenomenal chemistry to the story. Ishq Mastana is about two young people who chance upon a tender love, in an otherwise frenzied world. When you hold your lover’s hand in a chaotic crowd and for that one moment, everything about the world feels just right. It’s that love!”
Produced by Mutant Films and Awesomeness TV, Feels Like Ishq is due to be released on Netflix on 23 July.