Indian actor Rohit Saraf, who is set to star in the leading role of the eagerly anticipated film Ishq Vishk Rebound, acquired widespread attention on Tuesday when he clarified during a promotional event that this new film bears no semblance to being a sequel or a remake of the popular 2003 hit Ishq Vishk, which originally starred Shahid Kapoor.
The 2003 Ishq Vishk film, Saraf reminded the attending reporters, marked the acting debut of Shahid Kapoor and was directed by Ken Ghosh, featuring Amrita Rao and Shenaz Treasurywala as his co-stars. Garnering significant attention, the romantic-comedy became something of a sleeper hit, receiving favorable critiques for its warm storyline and memorable soundtrack. This original film not only found a secure place in the hearts of its viewers, it also launched Shahid Kapoor’s impressive Bollywood career.
“Ishq Vishk Rebound,” by contrast, is being directed by Marathi filmmaker Nipun Avinash Dharmadhikari and, according to Saraf, will be quite different from its predecessor in multiple ways. “It is not a remake or sequel of Ishq Vishk,” Saraf emphasized, delineating that while both films fall under the same franchise, they feature completely different storylines. “The thing common between the two films is that they belong to the same franchise. But it’s a new story altogether, a love story about Gen Z.”
For Saraf, featuring in such a project represents a unique milestone in his career, an opportunity he expressed gratitude for. “I don’t want to dilute that by putting pressure on myself,” he explained, candidly sharing his thoughts on the high expectations often placed on young actors in the industry. “There are people around me talking about the pressure, now I feel I should start taking the pressure.”
During the promotional event, the highly anticipated new version of the title track “Ishq Vishk” was previewed. The track, featuring Saraf alongside co-stars Pashmina Roshan, Jibraan Khan, and Naila Grewal, seeks to evoke nostalgia while appealing to a new, younger demographic. Saraf, who became widely recognized through Netflix’s romantic comedy series Mismatched and films like Ludo, The Sky is Pink, and the Hindi adaptation of Vikram Vedha, expressed his enthusiasm about participating in the new rendition of the song, calling it a “dream come true.
.”
“Growing up, I listened to the ‘Ishq Vishk’ song,” he recounted. “It’s bizarre to now feature in the new version. It is a dream come true; it (title song) has a legacy. I’m still a fan boy over what Shahid did in the song and to be able to do that is sheer blessing.”
Pashmina Roshan, also part of the film’s cast and the cousin of Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan, echoed Saraf’s sentiments about the weight of expectations when hailing from a film-industry family. The young actress affirmed her pride for her family’s cinematic achievements but noted the accompanying pressures. “The pride, the luck, their support and advice is what I’ve,” she shared. “But the pressure is to live up to their advice, to their (body of) work and make a place for myself in the industry and in the hearts of the audience.”
Rounding out the ensemble, Jibraan Khan—renowned for his role as a child star in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham—and Naila Grewal, recognized from Mamla Legal Hai, also bring their unique talents to the project, broadening its appeal across different audience segments.
Ishq Vishk Rebound, produced by Ramesh Taurani and co-produced by Jaya Taurani under the banner Tips Films Limited, is all set to hit theatres on June 21. The film promises to bring a refreshing narrative targeted at the Gen Z demographic while leveraging nostalgia among those who cherished the original film.
In closing, as Saraf, Roshan, and their co-stars step into roles that both honor a beloved romantic-comedy’s legacy and carve out new narratives for contemporary audiences, anticipation for Ishq Vishk Rebound continues to escalate. The film’s release is poised to offer a fascinating confluence of past and present, capturing the essence of youthful romance through the lens of today’s generation.
