MUMBAI: Inspired by 1995 Hollywood film, Before Sunrise, Ishkq In Paris is an attempt to revive the career of the film’s leading lady as well as the producer, Preity Zinta. The theme is familiar, about two strangers meeting up while travelling, spending some time together and falling in love. The idea in itself was not bad, really. It could have been made into a cute romantic movie had it been made with a fresh face instead of Zinta herself.

Producers: Preity Zinta, Neelu Zinta. Director: Prem Raj. Cast: Preity Zinta, Rhehan Malliek, Isabelle Adjani, and cameos by Salman Khan, Shekhar Kapur, Chunkey Pande.

Zinta, named Ishkq in the film, is on her way back home to Paris from Rome where she had gone to spend a weekend. She is the daughter of Isabelle Adjani, a famous artiste, a single mother having parted from her husband, Shekhar Kapur, when Zinta was only seven. Sitting across from Zinta on the train is Rhehan Malliek, an Indian settled in London. He is on the train because he missed his morning flight to London, hence onto Paris to take a morning train to London!

Since childhood Ishkq has been taught Hindi to near perfection and the duo get talking. Since Zinta is a local and Malliek has a night to while away, he suggests she spends the night with him and show him around town and generally have fun together. Obviously, Malliek also has sex in mind so, thoughtfully, also packs a condom with his loose change. On the way, a street vendor, Chunkey Pandey, sells them a dice, you toss it and it decides your next programme; it has drinks, dinner, dance, sex etc written on its sides. Zinta is game for drinks, dinner, dance but not sex. She is more traditional than Malliek. This revelry which continues till interval was evident in a recent film, London Paris, New York. Wanting you to come back after the interval, a slide before the interval promises you a story in the second half; in a 97 minute film, at least now a story needed to be incorporated since Malliek is coming back to Paris for work as well as with hopes of catching up with Zinta.

The gist of the story is this, that Zinta hates marriages because she hates divorces because her father deserted her and Adjani early in life. Malliek also hates marriage because of similar reason. And, subconsciously, they both have fallen in love but spend rest of the time in denial till this become the story of an aged Adjani and the aging Zinta where Adjani confides that her father, Kapur, had not deserted them but since he and Adjani were both passionate about their work, they had decided to part amicably. Before Adjani even finishes explaining the real thing, Zinta is on the run, halfway through to catching Malliek before he leaves her for good. Come to think of it, the first half without a story was less complicated!

What the film has to offer is scenic Paris and some witty exchanges between Zinta and Malliek. As for performances, since the casting is not convincing, acting does not matter. Music needed to be much better. However, Kudiye di kurti…, performed by Salman Khan and Teri choodiyan…have sectional audio appeal. Direction is passable. Photography is eye pleasing.

Ishkq In Paris faces poor prospects.