EXCLUSIVE | Rohit Saraf on 'Ishq Vishk Rebound': 'This wasn't the kind of a film that needed me to lock myself in a room and...'

2003’s coming-of-age-romantic drama,  _Ishq Vishk_  , which marked the Bollywood debut of  Shahid Kapoor  holds a special place in moviegoers’ hearts due to its breezy romantic element with a dose of funny and relatable moments, which will take you back to your college days. The film, which also featured  Amrita Rao  ,  Shenaz Treasury  and  Vishal Malhotra , has a special connection with 90s kids due to its plot and theme. While the audience still loves to catch this movie on OTT platforms and TV screens, the makers of Ishq Vishk announced the second part of the film, titled Ishq Vishk Rebound with  Pashmina Roshan ,   Rohit Saraf  ,  Jibraan Khan  and Naila Grewal headlining the project.

In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, Rohit opened up about the similarities between the two films, his prep for the character, and his fond memories of watching the first one 21 years ago.

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Edited excerpts from the interview

You have acted in a beautiful film like Dear Zindagi, a fantastic take on the complexities of relationships. What can we expect from the portrayal of relationships in Ishq Vishk Rebound?

I think similar complexities, if not more, because this is a younger generation. So more problems, more confusion, more thoughts to deal with. I think what you can expect is 4 people’s coming of age. You know, they’re kind of maneuvering through relationships that are intertwined with one another. So I’m very, very excited about that. And, of course, the complexities of love, which comes in, you know, with a lot of confusion and a lot of other different feelings that you’re gonna get to explore.

What can we expect from your character and how was your prep like?

So my prep actually involved, and that was for all 4 of us. We actually had a workshop because this film is so much about the friendship. It’s so much about the chemistry within one another with each other. You know, as friends, as couples, we actually did not know each other at all before the film. We met, like, maybe 12, 15 days before we started shooting. And so it was very important for us to get to know one another. And so there was a workshop that we did for 5 days where we spent so much time that at the end of 5th day, we’d seen each other laugh. We’d seen each other ugly cry. We’d seen each other angry. We’d seen each other enough to know that that was the beginning of a foundation that was built on trust. So that was my prep. This is not that kind of film that needed me to go lock myself in a room and, you know, really get into it because it’s not that kind of film. It’s a film which is light-hearted. It’s an easy watch. It’s a film about love. It’s a film about confusion. It’s a film about friendship. So, you know, essentially, that rom com that aren’t made as much anymore, it’s essentially that film. Yeah. So it didn’t require that kind of prep.

What are your memories of watching the first Ishq Vishk? I’m sure this is a question a lot of people must have asked you.

A lot of people have asked, but it doesn’t bore me at all because it takes me back to the time when I watched it. And it just makes me so, so happy because I remember I absolutely loved the music. The music was phenomenal, but that I think is just the vibe with all of tips films. I love it. So the music was great. Of course, I loved the dancing. I loved the first film. I loved that entire medley. I absolutely loved it, and it was such a, like, I had, like, wide eyed, and I was like, wow. That’s amazing. Like, you know, I would want a college life like that. I would want to perform in a college like that. And I used to love dancing as a child. So for me, that was, like, a huge deal. And, of course, like, I think everyone had a crush on Amrita. I had a whole new crush on Amrita. So I think that was my first memory, and I, of course, love romance in general. Like, I love romantic films. I love everything about romance. I remember watching it, loving it, only to watch it many, many, many more times.

21 years later, are you able to recognise the red flags and the green flags in those characters or do you still see them in awe?

But that was a film which was made back then, where the issues are completely different. I think that people with this scenario, the world was very, very different around us. And so I don’t want to go back and sit and dissect each character as to this is right or this is wrong. I think the moment I do that, I’m ruining a very, very special memory in my in my life, which was watching it and loving it for what it was. So I’m gonna leave it to that.

Apart from the 2 songs and the title, what are the similar similarities?

I think the world is still romantic. Right? So I think that’s one similarity is that in the first film and the second film, both the films are about love and the confusion that the characters go through in order to find what they really do love. So I think that is similar. There are 2 songs that were brought back and the title, but that’s about it. The characters are completely different. The problems in the relationship now are very, very different than what they were back then. So, yeah, that’s just that’s all that there is similar in the first one.

You have acted with Alia and Hrithik, but now this is a cast that that is fresher, that is newer. So did it help you as an actor?

I mean, to ease out I think it ease the food box and in all honesty, like, I would not have a preference over here, but I’ll tell you why. Because when you go to a set where you’re working with, let’s say, an Alia or a Hrithik or a Farhan or a Priyanka, you have somebody to guide you through it. You have somebody to look up to. You have somebody who kind of builds a safety net of sort, and you feel like you feel looked after for the lack of a better word. But on this set, also, it’s very exciting because then you’re practically starting together. So, you know, you’re kind of leaning on each other as much.