When director Avishek Ghosh narrated the script of Ishq-E-Nadaan to Lara Dutta, it took her back to the world of Hrishikesh Mukherjee movies. From Guddi (1971) to Bawarchi (1972) and Chupke Chupke (1975), the late director’s offerings were noted for their ability to look at the joys of everyday life.

“I’ve been a huge fan of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films. His characters would make the story what it is. Ishq-E-Nadaan is special in that sense; the love and the relationships in this film are innocent,” says the actor, who was last seen in Kaun Banegi Shikharwati (2022).

Besides Dutta, the Jio Cinema offering stars Neena Gupta, Kanwaljit Singh, Mohit Raina, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Suhail Nayyar. Through three distinct stories, the movie explores love and life in the bustling city of Mumbai. The simplicity of the characters and the slice-of-life story drew Dutta to the film. She shares,

“I loved the innocence of Mohit’s character. The film’s concept—that love conquers all—[resonated with me]. Sometimes, it’s nice to come across scripts that are heartwarming, and not necessarily looking to be unusual or thrilling. Sometimes, you just want to switch on [the television] and want to feel good about life; it is one of those beautiful stories. Plus, it’s releasing in the monsoon. I can’t think of a better way than curling up on a rainy afternoon with [this movie] and a hot cup of chai.”