# Aisha (आयशा) (2010 film)
**Aisha** (आयशा) is a 2010 Hindi-language romantic comedy directed by Rajshree Ojha, starring [Sonam Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/sonam-kapoor) as a wealthy Delhi socialite who plays matchmaker, and [Abhay Deol](https://www.edgepedia.org/abhay-deol) as her disapproving friend Arjun Burman. It is an adaptation of [Jane Austen](https://www.edgepedia.org/jane-austen)'s 1815 novel *Emma*, transposed to contemporary upper-class Delhi.[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aisha/cast/) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/austens-matchmaking-inspired-ojha-in-making-aisha/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 6 August 2010, Hindi language, India[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aisha/cast/) |
| Director / writers | Rajshree Ojha; screenplay by Devika Bhagat, based on Jane Austen's *Emma*[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aisha/cast/) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509732) |
| Lead cast | Sonam Kapoor (Aisha Kapoor), Abhay Deol (Arjun Burman), Amrita Puri (Shefali Thakur), Lisa Haydon, Ira Dubey, Cyrus Sahukar[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aisha/cast/) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509732) |
| Producers | Anil Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor, Ajay Bijli, and Sanjeev K Bijli, under Anil Kapoor Film Company and PVR Pictures[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aisha/cast/) |
| Music | Amit Trivedi, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar; playback singers included Ash King, Anushka Manchanda, and Nikhil D'Souza[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aisha/cast/) |
| Runtime / budget | 126 minutes; estimated budget ₹140,000,000[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509732) |
| Reception | IMDb 5.1/10 from about 4,700 votes; Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer 31% from 4 reviews[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509732) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aisha) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and source
The film follows Aisha Kapoor, a rich young woman from [South Delhi](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-delhi) whose hobby is matchmaking. After successfully arranging the marriage of her aunt Chitra to Colonel Raghuvendra Singh, she takes on a new project: Shefali Thakur, a naive young woman from the smaller town of [Bahadurgarh](https://www.edgepedia.org/bahadurgarh), whom Aisha tries to remake in her own image and pair with her childhood friend Randhir Gambhir. Her meddling produces chaos and bitterness, and she damages her own relationships, including with her neighbor Arjun Burman, who tells her to stop interfering in other people's lives.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509732) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aisha)
Director Rajshree Ojha said she blended Austen's *Emma* into the story of a contemporary girl whose constant matchmaking leads to comic situations, with Abhay Deol cast as the Mr Knightley figure.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/austens-matchmaking-inspired-ojha-in-making-aisha/) She explained that she found the story relevant to Indian society while reading it and wanted to make a film about urban relationships rather than a comedy as such.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/aisha-is-not-women-centric/story-I9YTVrsbEoBuGg3EmzAbuJ.html) She also said the film is not women-centric despite its woman protagonist.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/aisha-is-not-women-centric/story-I9YTVrsbEoBuGg3EmzAbuJ.html)
## Production
**A long development.** Ojha reported that it took her about four and a half years to find a producer; she pitched the film around production offices, and producers told her to secure the lead actor first. Sonam Kapoor was the first actor she approached, and [Anil Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/anil-kapoor) agreed to produce after she pitched the film to his daughter.[6](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2010/aug/05/slide-show-1-interview-with-rajshree-ojha.htm) • [5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/aisha-is-not-women-centric/story-I9YTVrsbEoBuGg3EmzAbuJ.html) She chose Kapoor without having seen her acting work, deciding on a young face from photographs shortly after *Saawariya* released.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/aisha-is-not-women-centric/story-I9YTVrsbEoBuGg3EmzAbuJ.html) She dealt mainly with Rhea Kapoor during production and described Anil Kapoor as non-interfering; the shoot lasted about 67 days.[7](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/features/2010/rajshree-ojha-interview-090810.html) She called the Harriet character, played by [Amrita Puri](https://www.edgepedia.org/amrita-puri), the most difficult to cast.[6](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2010/aug/05/slide-show-1-interview-with-rajshree-ojha.htm)
Filming took place in Delhi.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509732) The crew included cinematographer Diego Rodriguez, editor [A. Sreekar Prasad](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-sreekar-prasad), and production designer Shruti Gupte.[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aisha/cast/)
## Relationship to earlier adaptations
A scholarly review in the BSECS *Criticks* series observes that *Aisha* is indebted to the earlier screen adaptations of *[Emma](https://www.edgepedia.org/emma-novel)*, particularly [Amy Heckerling](https://www.edgepedia.org/amy-heckerling)'s *Clueless* (1995). It borrows the protagonist's voice-over commentary, a shot of her ineptly driving a cute car, a best friend with a silly name (Dionne in *Clueless*, Pinky in *Aisha*), the scene in which the Emma character is stranded in a remote neighborhood at night and rescued by the Mr Knightley figure, the makeover of the Harriet character through exercise and shopping, and the protagonist's clothes closet. The review also notes the prominent placement of the film's brand and make-up partners in the opening credits, suggesting the title character has as much in common with Cher Horowitz as with Emma Woodhouse.[8](https://www.bsecs.org.uk/criticks-reviews/aisha/) An academic essay on the film addresses how it adapts Austenian social concerns to contemporary upper-middle-class urban life in India while negotiating the competing influence of Austen and prior global adaptations.[9](https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/11/4/80)
## Reception
**Critical response was divided.** Shubhra Gupta of *The Indian Express* gave the film 2 out of 5, writing that it makes the viewer wait too long for its few good bits and that patchy writing and direction make it feel like a string of episodes.[10](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/aisha/) *The New Indian Express* rated it 2.5 out of 5 and called it a competent, if not fabulous, Indianized version of *Emma*.[11](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2010/aug/06/aisha-176088.html) Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com gave it 3 out of 5.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aisha) By contrast, *The Times of India* gave it 4 out of 5, calling it one of the most exquisitely crafted films to come down Bollywood's boulevard in the non-action genre.[12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/aisha/movie-review/6261844.cms) Kaveree Bamzai in *India Today* described it as mapping Delhi's luxe lifeline, an extended exercise in brand placement from L'Oreal to [Häagen-Dazs](https://www.edgepedia.org/haagen-dazs).[13](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/film-review-aisha-79959-2010-08-05) On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a Tomatometer of 31% based on 4 reviews.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aisha)
A Common Sense Media review called it a fun Bollywood *Emma* adaptation, praising Kapoor's portrayal of South Delhi high society and the supporting performances of [Ira Dubey](https://www.edgepedia.org/ira-dubey), Lisa Haydon, and Cyrus Sahukar, while noting drinking and drug content.[14](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/aisha-0)
## Box office and awards
IMDb lists an estimated budget of ₹140,000,000 and a gross worldwide figure of $146,161.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509732) The film received 1 win and 10 nominations in total according to IMDb; a Wikidata-based catalog record attributes a Golden Kela Award win in 2011 to Sonam Kapoor.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509732) • [15](https://travelindia-guide.com/bollywood/movies/2010/aisha/)
## References
1. [Aisha Cast List, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aisha/cast/)
2. [Austen's matchmaking inspired Ojha in making 'Aisha', The Indian Express (7 July 2010)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/austens-matchmaking-inspired-ojha-in-making-aisha/)
3. [Aisha (2010), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509732)
4. [Aisha, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aisha)
5. [Aisha is not women-centric!, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/aisha-is-not-women-centric/story-I9YTVrsbEoBuGg3EmzAbuJ.html)
6. [Rajshree Ojha on directing Aisha, Rediff.com Movies](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2010/aug/05/slide-show-1-interview-with-rajshree-ojha.htm)
7. [Rajshree Ojha Interview, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/features/2010/rajshree-ojha-interview-090810.html)
8. [Criticks Reviews: Aisha, British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies](https://www.bsecs.org.uk/criticks-reviews/aisha/)
9. [Did We Need Another Emma? The Anxiety of Influence in the Bollywood Adaptation of Emma, Humanities (MDPI)](https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/11/4/80)
10. [Aisha movie review, The Indian Express (6 August 2010)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/aisha/)
11. [Aisha review, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2010/aug/06/aisha-176088.html)
12. [Aisha Movie Review, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/aisha/movie-review/6261844.cms)
13. [Film review: Aisha, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/film-review-aisha-79959-2010-08-05)
14. [Aisha Parents' Guide & Movie Review, Common Sense Media](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/aisha-0)
15. [Aisha (2010) cast, credits and record, travelindia-guide.com](https://travelindia-guide.com/bollywood/movies/2010/aisha/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 2010s › Hindi films of 2010*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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