Year: 2003
Runtime: 145 mins
Language: Hindi
Director: Ken Ghosh
College student Rajiv Mathur arranges a conditional romance with classmate Payal to gain permission for a trip. Payal agrees and joins him, but after Rajiv becomes drunk he makes unwanted advances, prompting her to break off their relationship. Undeterred, Rajiv then pursues the attractive Alisha Sahay, wondering if she will be as receptive.
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College student Rajiv Shahid Kapoor aspires to be among his college’s popular crowd. Yet his friends Danny and Javed tease him for not having a girlfriend. They invite him to a vacation to Alibag, hoping a change of scene will shift his status. Rocky, Yash Tonk, suggests a breezy plan: Rajiv should date Payal Amrita Rao for a short period just to have a companion on the trip, and then part ways. With Rocky’s help, Rajiv starts to befriend Payal and begins to see what a different kind of friendship could feel like.
As the days unfold, Rajiv declares his love for Payal and asks her to become his girlfriend. Payal, who is also his childhood friend, reveals that she has loved him since their school days, adding a bittersweet layer to their budding romance. The two set off to spend time together, and Payal’s father grants her permission to join the vacation. They stay at Danny’s beach house, joined by Danny, Javed, and their girlfriends, a setting that soon tests the clarity of Rajiv’s feelings.
Tensions rise when Rajiv, under the influence of alcohol, mistreats Payal, prompting her to slap him in anger. The moment of reckoning arrives as Payal learns that Rajiv’s love may not be what she hoped; she discovers he might not truly love her. Payal apologizes for the episode, but Rajiv refuses to forgive her and even pressures her to kiss him to prove their love. Payal refuses, and the relationship fractures. The pair challenge each other to find better partners, a test that will redefine everything they thought they wanted.
In the aftermath, Rajiv wonders about dating the most attractive student in the college. Mambo [Vishal Malhotra], his close friend who supported the relationship, urges Rajiv to reconcile with Payal. A new energy enters the campus with Alisha Sahay [Shenaz Treasury] arriving as a new student, and Rocky [Yash Tonk] encourages Rajiv to pursue her, which he does, winning Alisha over. Meanwhile, Payal is left to process her heartbreak, and Mambo offers her support, forming a closer bond between them. Yet Payal still harbors lingering feelings for Rajiv, complicating the new dynamic.
Even as Rajiv and Alisha become involved, Payal remains in touch with Rajiv, wishing him a happy birthday and signaling that her feelings endure even if they aren’t the central romance anymore. Rajiv grows irritated when Payal’s birthday message comes before Alisha’s schedule, underscoring the tug-of-war between past and present. When Payal attends Rajiv’s birthday party, she confesses that their love was never truly real, which helps explain Rajiv’s happiness with Alisha.
Tensions flare between Mambo and Rajiv, drawing Alisha’s dislike toward Payal. Alisha learns from a friend that Payal and Rajiv are childhood sweethearts, and she confronts Payal. Mambo defends Payal, but Rajiv accuses Mambo of seducing her, leading to a fallout between the friends. Rajiv remains unable to shake thoughts of Payal, while Alisha’s insecurity grows as she repeatedly asks Rajiv to declare his love for her. In a moment of confusion, he hugs Alisha while thinking of Payal and professing his love for Payal—an awkward misdirection that underscores how tangled his feelings have become.
At the college farewell party, Rajiv apologizes to Mambo and they reconcile, and he begins to realize that Mambo and Payal are not truly in love. He resolves to win Payal back. In a public gesture, Rajiv apologizes to Payal and proclaims his love, and Payal forgives him after seeing his determination. Alisha arrives at the party, witnesses Rajiv and Payal dancing together, and understands that only Rajiv and Payal belong with each other. She apologizes to Payal and wishes the couple well, stepping aside to let their long-gestating connection finally find its place.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:49
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Lighthearted stories of young love, heartbreak, and self-discovery on campus.If you enjoyed the youthful energy and romantic drama of Ishq Vishk, explore this collection of movies about college love stories. Find similar tales of teenage heartbreak, reconciliation, and self-discovery set in the vibrant world of campus life and young friendships.
These narratives typically follow a protagonist through the highs and lows of young romance, often involving a love triangle, a significant misunderstanding or mistake, and a journey of personal growth that leads to a clearer understanding of love and responsibility.
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The plot often begins with a contrivance or deception—like a fake relationship—that the protagonist uses to achieve a goal. This plan inevitably backfires, causing conflict and emotional fallout, but ultimately paves the way for genuine feelings to surface and a sincere romantic resolution.
These films share a core narrative structure of a romantic 'scheme' gone awry, a light and playful tone despite moments of drama, and a focus on the comedic and emotional consequences of dishonesty in matters of the heart, resulting in a satisfying happy ending.
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