Ishaqzaade

Ishaqzaade (transl. Lovers) is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film written and directed by Habib Faisal, and produced by Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films banner. The film stars Arjun Kapoor in his debut and Parineeti Chopra in lead roles, alongside Gauahar Khan, Natasha Rastogi, Anil Rastogi, and Shashank Khaitan in supporting roles. Set in the fictional town of Almor in Uttar Pradesh, the narrative follows Parma Chauhan and Zoya Qureshi, members of rival political families, whose passionate romance challenges deeply rooted religious and societal divides.

The film marked Kapoor’s first appearance in a leading role, and Chopra’s second following Ladies vs Ricky Bahl (2011). Principal photography took place in various locations across Uttar Pradesh, with cinematography by Hemant Chaturvedi and music composed by Amit Trivedi. The soundtrack features lyrics by Kausar Munir and includes the popular track "Pareshaan," sung by Shalmali Kholgade. The official trailer was released on 15 March 2012, followed by the film’s theatrical release on 11 May 2012.

Upon release, Ishaqzaade received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise directed toward Chopra’s performance, as well as its screenplay and music. Produced on a budget of ₹160 million (US$2 million), the film emerged as a commercial success, grossing ₹613 million (US$7.5 million) worldwide.

At the 58th Filmfare Awards, the film received four nominations, including Best Actress (Chopra) and Best Male Debut (Kapoor), winning Best Female Playback Singer for Shalmali Kholgade for the song "Pareshaan." Additionally, Chopra was awarded the National Film Award – Special Mention at the 60th National Film Awards for her performance.