We are Minesh Punia (Writer/ Director) and Neil Gaikwad (Producer) set out to make the series Ishq Kahani (Love Story).

What is Ishq Kahani?

Ishq Kahani is a six-episode anthology series featuring 6 non-fictional love stories based on real life. There’s a deep well of depth in real-life stories, I’m sure you’re thinking about yours right now. They’re often awe-inspiring, even when tragic or full of life, they can make us laugh, cry, or jump for joy. Each episode will feature a unique love story, we will interview and document our selected stories submitted by the public and create a captivating cinematic script for the screen.

Minesh used the same approach to create the script for our Pilot episode “Moh-Moh Ke Dhaage” (Threads of Love). MMKD is based on a real-life story. The script portrays an essence of truth, honesty, and betrayal using mediums of cinema, poetry, and music.

Pilot: ‘Moh-Moh ke Dhaage’
A beautiful story of Ishaan and Jyotsna portraying a very common relationship trend- Losing interest in your partner after some years of ‘I will never let you go’ promises.

After being caught red-handed cheating on Jyotsna with his ex-girlfriend Pooja, Ishaan finds himself consumed by deep regret for years. His decision to call Jyotsna after all this time shocks him profoundly as he calls her on the day of her wedding.

Music Track: ‘Nibhale Mujhe Sambhale Mujhe’
Along with a 40-minute runtime, each episode will also feature an original song and music video. “Nibhaale Mujhe-Sambhaale Mujhe” (Fulfill me, take care of me) is the soul of our Pilot episode. The song is a tale about what keeps us alive and engaged in life after a heartbreak.

Who is Minesh A.K.A sARTaj Punia(Writer/Director)?

In 2011, the release of a Bollywood film ‘Rockstar’ sparked a transformative moment for me as an artist. The Imtiaz Ali’s storytelling style in the movie inspired me profoundly to write poetry and stories. Drawn to the techniques employed by Ali, I embarked on creating ‘Ishq Kahani,’ a non-fictional love series—a testament to the enduring impact of ‘Rockstar’ on my artistic journey.

Agar bichadna hi zaroori tha,
toh milna kyu zazoori tha?
Aapka yaha tak aana~haath thaamna~moh ke dhaage silna
~or fir ik din chood dena pehchaana,
agar aapki majboori tha,
toh vishvaas kijiye,
mera shayar bann’na
or aaj ye sab likhna bhi zaroori that
-Minesh Punia

Translation:
If parting was necessary,
then why was meeting necessary?
You coming with me till this point-holding hands-weaving threads of love- and then one day refusing to recognize me and leaving,
if it was your compulsion,
then look into my eyes and trust me,
becoming a poet
and writing all of this was also necessary.

 

Who is Neil Gaikwad(Producer)?

I’m just a Bombay guy, born and raised without a clear plan until cinema swept me off my feet. I got into the whole film thing, starting as an Assistant Director and Video Editor in the ad scene, finding my groove in the industry. Things got interesting when I got to work on “The Last Hour,” an Amazon Prime series that sharpened my skills. Later, I played Video Editor for the feature film “Wingman,” adding some solid layers to my experience.

After doing my thing on a bunch of cool projects and hanging with some talented folks, I figure it’s time to do my own thing. The lessons and know-how I’ve picked up make me ready to dive into my creative journey. It’s an exciting phase, and I’m pumped to turn my vision into something special. Time to take charge, step into the Producer’s chair, and tell stories that I’m passionate about.

How can you help us? 

As an indie film crew, we’re looking for passionate collaborators, caterers, and advisors. Kindly reach out to us and we can have a chat. Learn more about our story and Ishq Kahani.

 

Contact: ishkahani.series@gmail.com

Director: mineshpunia.251@gmail.com

Producer: neilgaikwad9@gmail.com