Prerna Wadhawan, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Richa Chadha on the set of the film

As the love saga Ishqeria gears up for release four years after it wrapped up, Richa Chadha, Neil Nitin Mukesh lend a helping hand in promotional work
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; August 8, 2018)

Neil Nitin Mukesh and Richa Chadha's film Ishqeria is set to release next month, four years after it wrapped up. Directed by debutant Prerna Wadhawan, the love saga faced several hurdles after filming concluded, including the death of Wadhawan's producer-father Ravi Wadhawan.

"We have finally overcome all the odds," says Wadhawan, adding, "Dad passed away suddenly in 2014, in a road mishap on the Yamuna Expressway. My world came to a standstill. He was handling the project, everything had come together because of him. He connected with financers too. It took me a while to gather myself. Releasing the film looked like an uphill task. Everything fell apart, so I didn't push it."

It was only earlier this year that Wadhawan decided she would work towards getting the film to theatres. It had first kicked-off in Mussoorie in 2012. "I had to pick up from where we left off. It was tough, but we managed to get the ball rolling. We got distributors on board." While Mukesh has been part of gritty thrillers, this venture will see him romance Chadha, who plays a small-town reserved girl. "Although Richa is currently filming the Shakeela biopic, she told me she would take time out for promotional work of the film. Neil too flew down to New Delhi to enquire about the developments."