IFP, the world’s leading festival for creativity and culture, kicked off its fifteenth season on November 29 at Mehboob Studio, Mumbai, with a stellar lineup of sessions. Among the highlights of Day 1, Vijay Varma and Fatima Sana Shaikh brought their new romantic drama, Gustaakh Ishq, to the IFP 15 stage. In a candid conversation with Swati Chopra on ‘Bringing Back Old-School Romance,’ the actors discussed the flaws, imperfections, and conflicts that shape love and relationships.

Vijay Varma gets candid about Gustaakh Ishq at IFP S15; says, “I know better about love than my character in the film”

When asked how Naseeruddin Shah’s energy and presence shaped the atmosphere on set and fed into their performances as actors, Vijay expressed, “Have you heard him? It sounds like God is talking to you directly. He has got that baritone, that voice that comes from somewhere else. It sounds like the voice of the universe. Like Morgan Freeman is the voice of God in Hollywood, and we have Naseeruddin Shah as the Voice of God. I mean, his grip over the languages – Hindi, Urdu, English, even Punjabi, and Parsi… he is so good with so many different dialects. He is an institution.”

He further added, “Just being around him, looking at him working, looking at him being, is an experience. I have had two profound experiences. One was with Mr. Bachchan when I was shooting Pink. And one was with Naseer Sir. It’s amazing to just look at them be.”

Echoing the sentiment, Fatima called Naseeruddin Shah “inherently a teacher.” She recalled a memory that captured the mix of fear and admiration that came with performing opposite him, sharing, “I was actually very worried he’d judge me. There was this one scene where I had to cry, and he did something really small, but it changed the whole moment. He placed my hand on his pulse so I could feel the heartbeat, basically telling me to be in the moment. What really empowered me was Naseer Sir saying, ‘It’s okay. Feel it. You don’t have to hit those beats perfectly.’”

When asked about one modern love habit she finds charming, Fatima revealed, “I like video calls. Especially in long-distance relationships, it feels good. Those early morning voice notes, or video calls they are so cute.”

When asked about one thing his character understands better than him about love, Vijay stated, “I think my character really has failed visibly in love in the film. So I don’t think he knows better than me. I know better about love than my character in the film.”

Building on 14 glorious editions, IFP Season 15 continues to be the hub for all things Creativity X Culture.

Also Read : Gustaakh Ishq Box Office: Fetches appreciation, has a slow start and would rely on word of mouth amongst class audience