Vishal Bhardwaj Opens up About Collaborating with Manish Malhotra in Gustaakh Ishq, Credits Vibhu Puri for the Film’s Album

Vishal Bhardwaj Credits Vibhu Puri for the Poetic Magic in Gustaakh Ishq’s Album

Mumbai: Manish Malhotra’s Gustaakh Ishq – Kucch Pehle Jaisa has ignited significant buzz ever since the trailer was released. Beyond the poetic magic, the film’s album has also struck a chord with the audiences, especially for its soothing melodies, deeply moving lyrics – and simply for bringing back the nostalgia of passionate romance. During the recently held trailer launch event, musical maestro opened up about working with producer Manish Malhotra, and credited Vibhu Puri for the film’s album.
He shared, “Isse pehle meri mulaqaat nahi hui thi Manish Malhotra se. Jab hum film ke liye mile, mujhe Manish ka passion dekhne mila – aur wo har cheez ke liye tha. Jab mai aur Vibhu Puri kisi cheez se relate karte the, tab Manish would bring us back to the film’s demand and the character’s demand. He’s very passionate and it’s beautiful to work with him.”
Gustaakh Ishq’s soothing album has emerged as the film’s heartbeat as it weaves poetry with emotions, and Vishal Bhardwaj credits Vibhu Puri for the same. “The credit for creating an album Kucch Pehle Jaisa goes to Vibhu Puri. It’s very heartwarming to feel – shayari and references from him – and it’s something that’s very rare to find. Film ki poetries me uska lehja jhalak raha hai. And it’s because of Vibhu Puri,” he adds.
Gustaakh Ishq’s album has emerged as a massive hit among audiences as it serves musical memories Kucch Pehle Jaisa. Its tracks, such as Ul Jalool Ishq, Aap Is Dhoop and their latest release, Shehar Tere, are crafted by musical magicians – including Vishal Bhardwaj’s soothing music, Gulzar’s lyrics and vocals by a range of artists like National Award-winning singer Arijit Singh, Shilpa Rao, Papon, Javed Ali, Jazim Sharma and Himani Kapoor.
Gustaakh Ishq sets an exciting new chapter for Manish Malhotra as a producer under Stage5 Production – with a film that seamlessly fuses classic storytelling while embracing the future of Indian cinema. Produced alongside his brother Dinesh Malhotra, Gustaakh Ishq is directed by Vibhu Puri, and it unfolds as a poignant love story of passion and unspoken desire. Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Varma, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sharib Hashmi, the film is scheduled to release in theatres on 28th November, 2025.