Vijay Varma, along with co-star Fatima Sana Shaikh, brought charm and excitement to the Jagran Film Festival as they promoted their much-awaited romantic period drama Gustaakh Ishq – Kuch Pehle Jaisa. Speaking about the film’s retro flavour, Vijay described it as a soulful tribute to the old-world charm of Urdu poetry. “The film carries the essence and texture of that particular time and place… If you look at life through a poet’s point of view, even the complicated parts become something beautiful to share,” he said. According to him, the narrative isn’t just a love story between his and Fatima’s characters, but also a tender teacher–student bond between him and Naseeruddin Shah.
This film marks the first on-screen pairing of Vijay and Fatima, and the actor is just as excited as the fans. Reminiscing about their first meeting, he shared, “I met Fatima after the shooting of Dangal, before the film even released. I saw her and Sanya with short hair and thought—these girls are going to wrestle in a film! We’ve been friends since then.” Their long-standing camaraderie, he believes, will bring freshness and authenticity to the romance on screen.
Vijay also made a heartfelt request to his fans as he gears up for a big theatrical release after years of OTT successes. “Now it’s your time to step outside the home and watch my movie in theaters. We’ve made this one with a lot of love,” he urged. His earnest appeal reflects just how special this project is for him—an emotional, poetic drama crafted for the big screen.
Directed by Vibhu Puri and produced by Stage5 Productions, the film stars Vijay Varma, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Naseeruddin Shah and Sharib Hashmi. The story follows Nawabuddin Saifuddin Rahman, who arrives in Delhi to learn the art of perfect shayari from retired poet Aziz, only to fall in love with his daughter Minni—until misunderstandings threaten to tear them apart. With Manish Malhotra making his debut as a film producer, and the film set for release on 28 November 2025, Gustaakh Ishq promises a poetic, soulful cinematic escape.