Sequels in Bollywood usually don’t surpass the success of the original movie, but Dedh Ishqiya is not an ordinary sequel - it is aptly title Dedh (one and a half) because it is dedh times more fun and dedh times more entertaining the Ishqiya that came out 4 years ago. Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi and Salman Shahid return with more colourful characters led by the one and only Madhuri Dixit-Nene to make Dedh Ishqiya the first successful film of 2014. Just as there are 7 stages of love as put down by Naseeruddin Shah’s Khalu Jaan character, there are 7 reasons why a film with all the right ingredients shouldn’t be missed at any cost.

Reason #1:
The story

‘Khalu Jaan’ Iftikhar Hussain (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi) are still the on-the-run petty thieves they were in Ishqiya. They escape from the clutches of local don Mushtaq bhai (Salman Shahid in a very special appearance) and as luck (or bad luck) would have it, they end up in Mahmoodabad where Khalu Jaan plays a poetry-spouting nawab and Babban his attendant, all geared up for a poetry contest. The winner would get to marry the widowed Begum Para - the ruler of Mahmoodabad (Madhuri Dixit-Nene) whose smart assistant Muniya (Huma Qureshi) is whom Babban desires.

The story takes a sharp turn when local MLA Jaan Mohammad (Vijay Raaz) reveals his intention of marrying Begum Jaan by hook or by crook and abducts Noor Mohammad Italvi (Manoj Pahwa) so he could impress the Begum with his poems. There is another story running in the background which changes the whole equation. To know more, you will have to watch the film, I am not giving you anything.

Reason #2:
The magical pairing - Naseeruddin Shah & Madhuri Dixit Nene

She may be gone but she is not out … Madhuri Dixit-Nene makes a triumphant return to Bollywood with Dedh Ishqiya and manages to mesmerize each and everyone who sets eyes on her. The 46-year-old diva looks mature (don’t you dare call her old!) and that’s why she clicks with Naseeruddin Shah. They last worked together in Rajiv Rai’s Tridev (1990) where Madhuri was not Naseeruddin Shah’s ladylove, but here they play long lost lovers brought together by fate.

The chemistry between the two veterans is not to be missed because when Madhuri’s Begum Jaan calls his name Iftikhar, Naseeruddin Shah’s Khalu Jaan extracts the pleasure of his life from hearing his own name. And then there is the ‘Mohini’ factor! Even 25 years after ‘Ek Do Teen’, Madhuri still has the ability to keep you on your seat as not many dared to leave the cinema while she was dancing on ‘Hamari Atariya’ that plays on with the end credits.

Reason #3:
The glamorous pairing - Arshad Warsi & Huma Qureshi

If Naseeruddin Shah’s Khalu Jaan is the driving force of the movie, Arshad Warsi’s Babban keeps Khalu Jaan on the road.

As Babban, Arshad Warsi injects electricity into the movie and no matter how old the viewer may be, his lines keep you amused. From "Iraday nek nahi" to "Plan ki ammi aapa kardi", his one-liners make you wonder whether to break into a smile or laughter; or both.

With Huma Qureshi, he makes a perfect pair since she acts as the mature half. Not only does she look good onscreen (even when she is with Madhuri, which isn’t a small thing), she manages to hold her forte against veteran Naseeruddin Shah and the ‘very much’ disliked Jaan Mohammad, portrayed by Vijay Raaz.

Reason #4:
The humorous pairing - Vijay Raaz, Manoj Pahwa and Salman Shahid

Vijay who, you may ask!

Well he is the guy whose famous Kawwa Biryani act in Run got him instant recognition in Bollywood. He is the antagonist in the movie and even does a Shah Rukh Khan "Begum Jaan sirf meri hain, sirf meri!" He is also an MLA (local minister), a wannabe-nawab and a gangster who can slap the police wala and get away with it.

It is when he tries to recite shayiri that we get to see the tapori-romantic side of him. The verses he tries to impress Begum Jaan with are not his, but his resident (read captive) poet Noor Mohammad Italvi’s (Manoj Pahwa) who keeps flaunting about his Italian origins. He even tells his captors that his mother and Sonia Gandhi went to school together!

Pakistani actor Salman Shahid has a small role but even then, he doesn’t disappoint.

When asked why he always lets Babban escape, he compares their rivalry to that of Batman and Joker in a hilarious way. As the eccentric gang lord, he is sure to be in the third installment of Ishqiya because the rivalry lives!

Reason #5:
The dialogues and the thrills

Khalu Jaan tells Babban during the course of the movie, “Ishq ke saat muqaam hote hain – dilkashi, uns, mohabbat, aqeedat, ibaadat, junoon … aur maut.”

Now this classic Urdu literature and not many in India would even understand it since Urdu is not their first language.

The case is different in Pakistan where Urdu is the language we converse in, and thanks to Vishal Bhardwaj and co-writer Abhishek Chaubey, class meets crass in the movie.

There is ‘mastak ki maa behen kar re ho’ at one side, and ‘Hum Nawab hain, ladte bhi adab se hain’ to go with ‘Jab haath me bandoooq ho to sher padha nai, maara jata hai’ and ‘Yaad aaye kahan toh itilla zaroor kijiyega, hum bhi dhoond rahein hain kab se apne aap ko’ after the character is told that ‘aapko kahin dekha hai!’.

When you have theatre actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Vijay Raaz working for you, even ‘Humara naam Jaan hai Para Jaan, aapke liye jaan de bhi sakte hain aur le bhi’ looks extremely good when delivered.

As for the thrills, there is abundance of it throughout the movie. There is a Mexican stand-off between Jaan Mohammad’s goons and Babban-Khaalu Jaan where both the parties decide to stand up for the whole night rather than surrendering!

Even the Dirty Harry inspired sequence in which Jaan Mohammad is made to travel from one place to another to pay the ransom doesn’t look bad at all!

Reason #6:
Vishal Bharadwaj weaves magic through music

The soundtrack of Dedh Ishqiya is a complete package.

Be it Sukhwinder Singh and Yo Yo Honey Singh’s peppy number ‘Horn OK Please’, or Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s soothing numbers - ‘Dil Ka Mizaaj Ishqiya’ and ‘Zabaan Jale Hai’, the songs by male singers are a treat for the ears.

However, it is the producer’s wife Rekha Bharadwaj who takes the lion’s share by delivering two Madhuri numbers - ‘Jagaave Saari Raina’ and ‘Hamari Ataria’.

Both the songs take you back in time which is made even better with Madhuri Dixit’s flawless dance steps.

Reason #7:
Dedh Ishqiya gives you back your money’s worth!

A film that gives you back your money’s worth is in no way to be missed.

Dedh Ishqiya is one such flick since it features loveable villains, humorous lines and above all, Madhuri Dixit-Nene!

The direction of second time-director Abhishek Chaubey must be commended because it is he who gets the best work done in all areas - be it the cinematography, the lighting, the sets and/or the exquisite costumes.

After a long time, a film with dialogues in Urdu takes you back into the days of Umrao Jaan (the original one) where each and every word was spoken correctly (although ‘nakamyaab’ is not a word in Urdu!).

Even so, the poetic Urdu, the adbi guftugoo and the comedy of errors make Dedh Ishqiya a treat to watch. Not to be missed at any cost!