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Ishq-e-Nadaan (2023) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Ishq-e-Nadaan (2023) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 120 mins · Hindi
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Directed by
Avishek Ghosh
Starring
Suhail Nayyar, Kanwaljit Singh, Lara Dutta, Deepika Amin, Neena Gupta, Samvedna Suwalka

Ashutosh's routine is disrupted when he encounters Ramona at the hotel where he works. Simultaneously, Charulata develops a friendship with filmmaker Subhash Kapoor and confides a secret to him. The narrative explores the intertwined lives of these characters and the unfolding mysteries surrounding their relationships and shared secrets.

On this page (9)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (6)
  3. 3 Character relationship map
  4. 4 Where & when it takes place
  5. 5 Themes & meaning (3)
  6. 6 Character & meaning questions
  7. 7 Movie threads
  8. 8 Movies like Ishq-e-Nadaan
  9. 9 Every angle
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6 main characters · contains spoilers

Ishq-e-Nadaan Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Ishq-e-Nadaan (2023), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Ashutosh Rane

    played by Mohit Raina

    Ashutosh is a courteous hotel front-desk staffer and a single father who quietly navigates unreciprocated love while supporting Ramona's truth. He responds with empathy when Ramona’s relationship comes to light, encouraging her to be open about who she loves. His luck in the hotel’s draw sends him on a Rome trip, positioning him as the catalyst that ties the three stories together.

    • 💬 Gentle
    • 🧭 Empathetic
    • 📈 Responsible
  • Ramona Singh

    played by Lara Dutta

    Ramona is a successful businesswoman and a frequent hotel guest who uses the hotel as a discreet space to meet her lover. She embodies independence and resilience as she grapples with authenticity in the face of societal norms. Ashutosh’s encouragement nudges her toward openness about her feelings and life.

    • 💖 Open-minded
    • 💬 Reserved
    • 🧭 Independent
  • Siya

    played by Shriya Pilgaonkar

    Siya is a pregnant woman returning to Mumbai from the US, navigating pregnancy pressures and the heat of the city. She connects with Piyush as they explore a relationship beyond arranged dating, challenging conventional timelines. Her journey culminates in choosing partnership and parenthood with Piyush during a hospital moment.

    • 🤰 Pregnant
    • 💪 Resilient
    • 👩‍👧‍👦 Family-oriented
  • Piyush

    played by Suhail Nayyar

    Piyush is a well-mannered, thoughtful young man who loves the idea of a simpler life and being a house husband. He questions the corporate rat-race and seeks meaning beyond conventional success. His gentle persistence helps Siya move toward a committed relationship and shared parenthood.

    • 🎯 Grounded
    • 🧭 Idealistic
    • 🏡 House-husband hopeful
  • Charulata

    played by Neena Gupta

    Charulata is an elderly woman from Indore visiting her daughter in Mumbai. She meets the eccentric filmmaker Subhash and gradually opens up to his friendship. She recalls a Rome-born man she once shared her heart with, receiving poems every year on her birthday, a memory that shapes her later search for that love.

    • 🧓 Elderly
    • 📝 Reflective
    • 🎞️ Film lover
  • Subhash Kapoor

    played by Kanwaljit Singh

    Subhash is an eccentric filmmaker living in the same complex, whose initially odd manner gradually endears him to Charulata. He becomes a key confidant who helps her uncover the story behind the Rome poems. His guidance leads to the revelation that ties the three stories together through memory and fate.

    • 🎬 Eccentric
    • 🗣️ Charismatic
    • 🗺️ Dreamer

Last updated: October 21, 2026 at 17:53

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7 characters · 9 connections · contains spoilers

Ishq-e-Nadaan Character Relationship Map

Who is connected to whom in Ishq-e-Nadaan: family, love, friendships, rivalries and hidden ties, colour-coded. Pick a character to see their side of the story, or a connection to see what brings two characters together.

How much of the story to show
ARAshutosh RaneMohit RainaRSRamona SinghLara DuttaSSiyaShriya PilgaonkarPPiyushSuhail NayyarCCharulataNeena GuptaSKSubhash KapoorKanwaljit SinghCDCharulata'sdaughter

Last updated: October 21, 2026 at 17:53

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Setting

Where and When Does Ishq-e-Nadaan Take Place?

The setting of Ishq-e-Nadaan (2023): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Location

Mumbai, Rome, Indore

Mumbai serves as the bustling core of the film, where a luxury hotel acts as the crossroads for three intertwined love stories. The city’s energy and heat push characters toward moments of honesty and connection. Indore appears as Charulata's hometown, adding a regional layer to the journeys, while Rome holds memories and a dream that links the stories together. Overall, the urban backdrop reinforces themes of chance, romance, and fate.

  • 🏙️ Urban backdrop
  • 🏨 Luxury hotel setting
  • 🎭 City of stories
  • 🌍 Mumbai-Rome-Indore memories

Last updated: October 21, 2026 at 17:53

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3 major themes

Ishq-e-Nadaan Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Ishq-e-Nadaan (2023) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Love Across Time

    Three stories explore unconventional love and how timing, memory, and courage shape relationships. The film suggests love can transcend social norms and distance, as seen in Ashutosh’s quiet care for Ramona and the enduring poetry that ties generations. The Rome poems and the eventual reveal weave a connective thread that reconciles past and present. Honesty and openness become the bridge to surprising happiness.

  • City as Catalyst

    Mumbai’s hustle and heat drive the narratives, with the hotel and city streets creating opportunities and obstacles for romance. The metropolis acts as both a catalyst for bold choices and a mirror for personal fears and fantasies. The story shows how urban life can push people to confront truth rather than settle for routine.

  • Letters and Memory

    Memories take tangible form through poems and letters that connect generations. Charulata’s romance with a Rome-born poet and the yearly messages illustrate how memory persists beyond time and distance. The twist—that Ashutosh authored those poems—links the present stories to a shared past. The letters function as a bridge between longing, regret, and reconciliation.

Last updated: October 21, 2026 at 17:53

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Character & theme questions

Ishq-e-Nadaan Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Ishq-e-Nadaan (2023): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does this movie take place?

The film unfolds across three major locations: Mumbai serves as the primary urban setting where most characters interact at a luxury hotel, Indore appears as Charulata's hometown providing a regional cultural layer, and Rome represents memories and dreams that connect the characters' past and present stories.

  • mumbai
  • rome
  • indore
  • setting
  • locations
  • cities
Q2

What role does the Mumbai hotel play in the story?

The luxury hotel in Mumbai serves as the crossroads where the three interconnected love stories converge. It acts as a neutral space where characters from different backgrounds, Ashutosh working at the front desk, Ramona as a guest, and others, cross paths, creating opportunities for romance and revelation amid the city's hustle and heat.

  • hotel
  • mumbai
  • luxury hotel
  • front desk
  • ashutosh
  • setting
Q3

When does this story take place?

The film is set in contemporary modern times, with characters using phones, working in corporate environments, and traveling internationally. While no specific year is stated, the technology, lifestyle, and urban setting suggest a present-day narrative.

  • time period
  • modern
  • contemporary
  • mumbai
  • era
Q4

What are the main themes of this film?

The movie explores three interconnected themes: love transcending time and social norms through Ashutosh and Ramona's story, the city of Mumbai acting as a catalyst for bold choices and truth-telling, and the power of letters and memory connecting generations through Charulata's relationship with a Rome-born poet.

  • themes
  • love
  • memories
  • letters
  • city
  • mumbai
  • fate
Q5

Who is Ashutosh Rane and what is his role?

Ashutosh is a courteous hotel front-desk employee and single father who quietly navigates unrequited feelings while supporting others in finding their truth. His unexpected win from a hotel contest sends him to Rome, where he becomes the unexpected link that ties all three love stories together.

  • ashutosh
  • hotel worker
  • rome
  • single father
  • love interest
Q6

Who is Ramona in this movie?

Ramona is a successful businesswoman who frequently stays at the Mumbai hotel, using it as a discreet space to meet her lover. She embodies independence and resilience as she grapples with living authentically against societal expectations, eventually finding the courage to be open about her true feelings with Ashutosh's encouragement.

  • ramona
  • businesswoman
  • hotel
  • secret love
  • independence
Q7

What is Charulata's backstory in the film?

Charulata is an elderly woman from Indore visiting her daughter in Mumbai who rekindles a lost romance through memory. Years earlier, she shared her heart with a Rome-born poet who sent her poems every year on her birthday, a memory that becomes central to the film's revelation and connects all three love stories.

  • charulata
  • indore
  • rome
  • poet
  • memories
  • poems
  • love story
Q8

Who is Subhash Kapoor in the movie?

Subhash Kapoor is an eccentric filmmaker living in the same Mumbai complex as Charulata. His odd but endearing manner helps him become her friend and confidant, eventually helping her uncover the truth behind the Rome poems, leading to the revelation that ties all three stories together through memory and fate.

  • subhash kapoor
  • filmmaker
  • charulata
  • director
  • confidant
Q9

Who are Siya and Piyush in the story?

Siya is a pregnant woman returning to Mumbai from the US, navigating the pressures of pregnancy and unconventional timing in relationships. Piyush is a thoughtful young man who prefers a simpler life over corporate success. Their connection develops beyond traditional arranged dating, leading them to choose partnership and parenthood together during a hospital moment.

  • siya
  • piyush
  • pregnancy
  • relationship
  • mumbai
  • us
  • arranged dating
Q10

What is the significance of Rome in this film?

Rome holds deep symbolic meaning as a city of memories and dreams that links the characters' past and present. It represents the destination where Ashutosh wins a trip, the birthplace of the poet who sent Charulata yearly poems, and the setting where the interconnected love stories finally converge through revelation.

  • rome
  • italy
  • travel
  • dreams
  • memory
  • poet
  • poems
Q11

What is the movie saying about love?

The film suggests that love can transcend social norms, distance, and time. Through three parallel stories, it shows how honesty and openness become bridges to surprising happiness, and how courage, whether in a luxury hotel in Mumbai or through yearly poems from Rome, can reconcile past regrets with present joy.

  • love
  • honesty
  • courage
  • fate
  • romance
  • message
  • theme
Q12

How does the city of Mumbai function in the narrative?

Mumbai acts almost as a character itself, using its energy, hustle, and intense heat to push characters toward moments of honesty and connection. The urban environment creates both opportunities and obstacles for romance, serving as a catalyst that forces people to confront truth rather than settle for comfortable routines.

  • mumbai
  • city
  • urban
  • backdrop
  • environment
  • heat
  • hustle

Movie threads

More Movies Like Ishq-e-Nadaan, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Ishq-e-Nadaan tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies with Interwoven Lives like Ishq-e-Nadaan

Stories where separate character threads elegantly intertwine to reveal a larger picture. If you liked the intersecting character stories in Ishq-e-Nadaan, explore other movies like it. These complex dramas and romantic comedies weave together separate narratives, revealing how fate and secrets connect lives in surprising and emotionally resonant ways.

  • interconnected
  • reflective
  • compassionate
  • urban life
  • surprising
  • nostalgic
  • Tone: hopeful, reflective, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Movies in this thread typically feature a multi-perspective narrative structure. The plot follows several characters whose individual journeys seem separate at first, but gradually converge through shared history, chance encounters, or revealed secrets, creating a unified and often emotionally impactful whole.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a specific narrative architecture focused on interconnection. They deliver a similar experience of discovery and reflection, as viewers piece together the relationships between characters, leading to a satisfying and complex emotional payoff.

Hopeful Mature Romance Movies like Ishq-e-Nadaan

Tender stories of love and connection discovered in the later chapters of life. Discover more movies like Ishq-e-Nadaan that explore tender, late-life romance. If you enjoyed its warm and compassionate look at love found later in life, you'll appreciate these similar hopeful dramas about resilience, secrets, and emotional connection.

  • warm
  • hopeful
  • romantic
  • compassionate
  • mature
  • resilience
  • Tone: hopeful, warm, compassionate
  • Pacing: steady, contemplative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern revolves around characters, often beyond their youth, rediscovering love or forming meaningful new relationships. The journey is typically gentle, exploring themes of vulnerability, past secrets, and the courage to open one's heart again, leading to a hopeful yet realistically nuanced ending.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on mature, character-driven romance. They evoke a specific mood of warmth, compassion, and hopeful resilience, offering a more reflective and nuanced take on love compared to stories centered on youthful passion.

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Every angle

Ishq-e-Nadaan (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Ishq-e-Nadaan in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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