# Ishq (2019 film)
**Ishq** (ഇഷ്ക്) is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language romantic thriller directed by Anuraj Manohar in his debut and written by Ratheesh Ravi, released in Kerala on 17 May 2019 under the tagline "not a love story"[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/ishq/movie-review/69372525.cms) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/reviews/malayalam/2019/May/17/ishq-movie-review-a-tense-drama-powered-by-strong-performances-11663.html). It stars [Shane Nigam](https://www.edgepedia.org/shane-nigam), Ann Sheetal, and [Shine Tom Chacko](https://www.edgepedia.org/shine-tom-chacko), and follows a young couple whose late-night drive turns into an encounter with men posing as moral police, an incident that tests their relationship and sets the film's revenge plot in motion[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/ishq-2019).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 17 May 2019 (India), Malayalam, U/A certificate, 2 hours 14 minutes[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/ishq/movie-review/69372525.cms) |
| Director / writer | Anuraj Manohar (directorial debut); screenplay Ratheesh Ravi[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ishq_2019) |
| Lead cast | Shane Nigam as Sachidanandan (Sachi), Ann Sheetal as Vasudha, Shine Tom Chacko as Alwin[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/ishq-2019) |
| Production | AVA Productions and E4 Entertainment; producers Mukesh R. Mehta, A.V. Anoop, C.V. Sarathi[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ishq_2019) |
| Music | Jakes Bejoy[5](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2019/05/17/shane-nigam-ishq-malayalam-movie-review-updates.html) |
| Audience rating | 7.5/10 on IMDb from about 3,100 votes; 2 wins and 2 nominations listed[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9448332/) |
| Streaming | Prime Video from 20 October 2019; still streaming on Amazon Prime Video[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ishq_2019) • [7](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/ishq-2019) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and subject
The film centers on Sachi (Shane Nigam), an IT professional living in Panampilly Nagar, Kochi, and his girlfriend Vasudha (Ann Sheetal)[8](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/ishq.html). They set out to celebrate Vasudha's birthday with a long drive, and the first half follows their courtship, including Sachi's possessiveness toward her[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/ishq/movie-review/69372525.cms) • [9](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/moral-policing-vs-mindless-violence-why-malayalam-film-ishq-disappointment-102166).
The turning point comes when the couple parks for a private moment and Alwin (Shine Tom Chacko) shines a torch into the car, demanding details of their privacy in a threatening manner. He is joined by an older man, Mukundan (Jaffer Idukki), whom he addresses as "sir" and claims as a police senior[9](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/moral-policing-vs-mindless-violence-why-malayalam-film-ishq-disappointment-102166). The film makes clear to the viewer that the pair are not actual moral police: their purpose is extortion, extracting money from the couple by threat[9](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/moral-policing-vs-mindless-violence-why-malayalam-film-ishq-disappointment-102166). The humiliation Sachi suffers triggers a desire for revenge that strains his relationship with Vasudha, and the second half follows his retaliation[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ishq_2019). Reviews withheld the specifics as spoilers, but several criticized the way the victim's violence is staged as a heroic comeback, arguing the film glorifies attacking the harasser's family[9](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/moral-policing-vs-mindless-violence-why-malayalam-film-ishq-disappointment-102166).
## Themes
The film's stated subject is moral policing, the practice of enforcing social codes of conduct on couples and others in public and private life, a phenomenon widely discussed in Kerala[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/reviews/malayalam/2019/May/17/ishq-movie-review-a-tense-drama-powered-by-strong-performances-11663.html). Critics read it alongside its treatment of toxic masculinity: Sachi is introduced as overly possessive, intolerant of another man even looking at his girlfriend, and the confrontation with Alwin becomes a contest between two men's egos in which Vasudha is pushed into a passive, witnessing position[9](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/moral-policing-vs-mindless-violence-why-malayalam-film-ishq-disappointment-102166) • [10](https://offscreen.com/view/a-patriarchal-mousetrap-analysing-gender-in-anuraj-manoharas-ishq). [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) interview with the director framed the film as being about possessiveness and ego problems alongside a serious social issue that people are reluctant to discuss[11](https://malayalam.indianexpress.com/entertainment/interview/ishq-director-anuraj-manohar-interview-shane-nigam/).
A 2024 scholarly analysis in *Offscreen* examined the film's use of mise-en-scène, particularly its color palette of pinks and blues and its framing, as a commentary on patriarchal structures in India and the binary gender roles they impose[10](https://offscreen.com/view/a-patriarchal-mousetrap-analysing-gender-in-anuraj-manoharas-ishq).
## Production
Anuraj Manohar worked in the Malayalam film industry for eight years before directing, assisting directors including [Lijo Jose Pellissery](https://www.edgepedia.org/lijo-jose-pellissery), B Unnikrishnan, and Shyamdhar[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2019/Feb/16/i-want-darshans-gandugali-madakari-nayaka-to-be-landmark-in-kannada-cinema-10133.html). He first heard Ratheesh Ravi's script while working on Shyamdhar's *Pullikaran Stara*, and described the project as realistic with a strong central conflict[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2019/Feb/16/i-want-darshans-gandugali-madakari-nayaka-to-be-landmark-in-kannada-cinema-10133.html).
**Casting.** The makers first approached [Fahadh Faasil](https://www.edgepedia.org/fahadh-faasil) for the lead role, and he initially agreed to act in and produce the film, even taking an advance, before withdrawing; Tovino was considered next, and scheduling issues kept both from the part[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2019/Feb/16/i-want-darshans-gandugali-madakari-nayaka-to-be-landmark-in-kannada-cinema-10133.html) • [13](https://www.asianetnews.com/amp/celebrity-interviews/director-anuraj-manohar-talks-about-his-new-film-ishq-prjpl4). Shane Nigam then accepted the role after hearing the story and spent about a year with the team before shooting[13](https://www.asianetnews.com/amp/celebrity-interviews/director-anuraj-manohar-talks-about-his-new-film-ishq-prjpl4). Ann Sheetal, previously known from *Ezra*, was selected from an audition of about 60 candidates[11](https://malayalam.indianexpress.com/entertainment/interview/ishq-director-anuraj-manohar-interview-shane-nigam/).
## Reception
The film received generally favorable reviews. The Times of India gave it 3.5/5, praising relatable moments and the lead pairing[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/ishq/movie-review/69372525.cms); [Behindwoods](https://www.edgepedia.org/behindwoods) rated it 3.25/5 and called it "a brilliant anti-romance that is engrossing till the end"[14](https://m.behindwoods.com/malayalam-movies/ishq/ishq-review.html); [The Week](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-week) gave 3/5 and described it as "a searing criticism of toxic masculinity"[15](https://www.theweek.in/review/movies/2019/05/17/Ishq-not-a-love-story-review-A-scathing-indictment-of-moral-policing.html). Reviewers singled out the performances of Shane Nigam and Shine Tom Chacko, Jakes Bejoy's background score, and the climax sequence centered on Vasudha[5](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2019/05/17/shane-nigam-ishq-malayalam-movie-review-updates.html) • [15](https://www.theweek.in/review/movies/2019/05/17/Ishq-not-a-love-story-review-A-scathing-indictment-of-moral-policing.html). The News Minute took a dissenting view, arguing that the film's glorification of the victim's retaliatory violence sends a wrong message[9](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/moral-policing-vs-mindless-violence-why-malayalam-film-ishq-disappointment-102166).
On IMDb the film holds a 7.5/10 rating from about 3,100 votes, with 2 wins and 2 nominations listed[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9448332/). It was screened at festivals including the International Film Festival of Kerala, where it drew discussion[16](https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/movie-news/best-malayalam-film-directors-of-2019/amp_articleshow/72472723.cms/). Tracked box office data is limited: The Numbers records no domestic figure and $863 from a single international release in Australia[17](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Ishq-%28India%29).
## Remake
In February 2020, Friday FilmWorks of Neeraj Pandey, in association with the original producers E4 Entertainment, announced a Hindi remake of the film, with cast and credits to be announced and shooting planned for April[18](https://malayalam.indianexpress.com/entertainment/ishq-movie-hindi-remake-anuraaj-343324/).
## References
1. [Ishq Movie Review {3.5/5}, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/ishq/movie-review/69372525.cms)
2. [Ishq Movie Review: A tense drama powered by strong performances, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/reviews/malayalam/2019/May/17/ishq-movie-review-a-tense-drama-powered-by-strong-performances-11663.html)
3. [Ishq streaming: where to watch online, JustWatch (India)](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/ishq-2019)
4. [Ishq (2019), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ishq_2019)
5. [Ishq review: Shane and Shine in a saga of love and passion, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2019/05/17/shane-nigam-ishq-malayalam-movie-review-updates.html)
6. [Ishq (2019), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9448332/)
7. [Ishq streaming: where to watch online, JustWatch (US)](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/ishq-2019)
8. [ഇഷ്ക് (2019) Movie, Filmibeat Malayalam](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/ishq.html)
9. [Moral policing vs mindless violence: Why Malayalam film 'Ishq' is a disappointment, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/moral-policing-vs-mindless-violence-why-malayalam-film-ishq-disappointment-102166)
10. [A Patriarchal Mousetrap: Analysing Gender in Anuraj Manohar's Ishq, Offscreen (N Malavika Mohan, 2024)](https://offscreen.com/view/a-patriarchal-mousetrap-analysing-gender-in-anuraj-manoharas-ishq)
11. ['ഇഷ്ക്' ഒരു പ്രണയകഥ മാത്രമല്ല; സംവിധായകൻ അനുരാജ് മനോഹർ പറയുന്നു, Indian Express Malayalam](https://malayalam.indianexpress.com/entertainment/interview/ishq-director-anuraj-manohar-interview-shane-nigam/)
12. ["We had first approached Fahadh Faasil for Shane Nigam's role in Ishq", Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2019/Feb/16/i-want-darshans-gandugali-madakari-nayaka-to-be-landmark-in-kannada-cinema-10133.html)
13. [Director Anuraj Manohar talks about his new film Ishq, Asianet News](https://www.asianetnews.com/amp/celebrity-interviews/director-anuraj-manohar-talks-about-his-new-film-ishq-prjpl4)
14. [Ishq review, Behindwoods Review Board](https://m.behindwoods.com/malayalam-movies/ishq/ishq-review.html)
15. ['Ishq: not a love story' review: A scathing indictment of moral policing, The Week](https://www.theweek.in/review/movies/2019/05/17/Ishq-not-a-love-story-review-A-scathing-indictment-of-moral-policing.html)
16. [Best Malayalam film directors of 2019, Samayam Malayalam](https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/movie-news/best-malayalam-film-directors-of-2019/amp_articleshow/72472723.cms/)
17. [Ishq (2019) box office, The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Ishq-%28India%29)
18. ['ഇഷ്ക്' ഹിന്ദിയിലേക്ക്, Indian Express Malayalam](https://malayalam.indianexpress.com/entertainment/ishq-movie-hindi-remake-anuraaj-343324/)
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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) › Malayalam films of the 2010s › Malayalam films of 2016 to 2019*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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