Feels Like Ishq (2021)

Feels Like Ishq (2021): A Heartfelt Exploration of Young Love and Its Many Shades

Introduction

Released in 2021, Feels Like Ishq is a charming Indian anthology series that beautifully explores the myriad facets of young love and relationships. Instead of following the typical Bollywood movie format, this series is part of the growing wave of Indian web content that tells engaging, bite-sized stories focusing on youth and romance. Produced as a Netflix original, the series has captured the hearts of viewers for its realistic portrayal of love and its nuances.

About the Series

Feels Like Ishq is an anthology consisting of six episodes, each telling a unique story centering on the emotions and experiences surrounding love, friendship, and self-discovery. Instead of a continuous storyline, the series uses different characters, scenarios, and tones to convey the essence of what it feels like to navigate love in today's India.

Each episode runs approximately 30 minutes, making it a perfect pick for viewers looking for heartfelt romantic stories without a long time commitment.

Main Actors

The series features an ensemble cast with fresh faces and recognizable young talents from the Indian entertainment industry. Key actors across episodes include:

• Youngaw Boominathan as Adi
• Shaan Grover as Saahir
• Divya Bharati as Nikki
• Prajakta Koli as Tarini
• Medha Shankar as Kajol
• Pranav Misshra as Kabir

These actors bring freshness and authenticity to their roles, making the love stories relatable and engaging for viewers, especially the youth.

Directors and Writers

One of the distinctive features of Feels Like Ishq is its multi-directorial format. Each episode has a different director and writer, which allows for varied storytelling styles and perspectives on love. Notable contributors include:

• Ruchir Arun - Directed Episode 1; also a writer known for capturing realistic emotions.
• Upasna Mukerjee - Directed and wrote one of the episodes, lending a subtle, introspective narrative.
• Sonam Nair - Directed an episode portraying the innocence of first love.
• Simran Oberoi - Directed and wrote an episode with a youthful and quirky narrative style.
• Dipti Mehta - Directed an episode emphasizing friendship and emotional support in love.
• Samit Kakkad - Directed another episode exploring the dynamics of contemporary relationships.

Each story bears distinct directorial signatures yet stays united by the overarching theme of exploring love's enchanting, complicated, and tender moments.

Plot and Themes

Since Feels Like Ishq is an anthology, the series doesn't revolve around a single plot but rather presents six standalone stories. However, all of them circle around the experience of love from the perspective of young Indians. The stories range across different backgrounds, emotional vibrancies, and relationship dynamics.

Some of the overarching themes explored include:

• The thrill of new-found love: Capturing moments when hearts race and eyes sparkle with the excitement of reciprocated feelings.
• Friendship and unspoken emotions: How friendships sometimes blur into something more, colored with vulnerability and anticipation.
• Self-discovery through relationships: How love can nudge young people to understand themselves better and embrace their identities.
• The influence of cultural and social settings: Portraying how the Indian milieu impacts relationships, traditions, and sometimes the constraints that youth face.
• The complex emotions of longing and heartbreak: Tender depictions of what happens when love is unrequited or people grow apart.

The stories feel authentic, relatable, and refreshingly honest, steering clear from over-dramatization often seen in mainstream cinema.

Music and Songs

Unlike typical Bollywood films, Feels Like Ishq does not pack a traditional song and dance routine but features a subtle, modern soundtrack that complements the mood and tone of each episode delicately. The music underscores the emotional beats of romance, friendship, and yearning without overpowering the narrative.

The songs and background scores are by acclaimed contemporary composers and musicians, including Anurag Saikia and other emerging artists who specialize in soft, indie-inspired melodies. The soundtrack is lauded for its ability to evoke the tender and fleeting moments that the characters experience.

Reception and Impact

Since its release, Feels Like Ishq was well received by critics and audiences alike, especially younger viewers who found these stories close to their own life experiences. The sweetness, subtlety, and brevity of each tale resonated widely, making it a favored pick in the romance genre on OTT platforms during 2021.

Reviewers praised the fresh storytelling approach, the simplicity and relatability of scripts, and the performances of the young ensemble cast. The series stands out as an example of the evolving landscape of Indian romance narratives, driven by digital content where creators experiment with format and substance freely.

Conclusion

Feels Like Ishq is not just another love story anthology; it’s a heartfelt tribute to the many shades of first love, friendship, and emotional growth. With its earnest storytelling, impressive performances, and evocative music, it beautifully captures what it literally feels like to be in love and the journey that comes with it.

For anyone who cherishes romantic tales that are sincere, unpretentious, and anchored in contemporary Indian youth culture, this series is a perfect watch. It offers bite-sized stories filled with warmth, hope, and a touch of nostalgia – reminding us all that love in any form is a powerful, life-affirming emotion.

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