Cast: Zubin Varla, Farhan Hasnat, Yahya Kitana, Avin Shah, Sudha Bhuchar, Joy Crookes, Arman Mohammed, Is’Haaq Hasan Haque, Hasnain Shah
Genre: Drama
Director: Imran Perretta
In Irish Cinemas: Now
Imran Perretta makes an assured first step into feature filmmaking with Ish, an intimate coming-of-age drama rooted in the streets of Luton. While the film occasionally struggles under the weight of its many ambitions, it succeeds thanks to its emotional honesty, striking naturalism, and the remarkable chemistry between its two young leads.
Farhan Hasnat and Yahya Kitana, portraying Ish and Maram, bring an effortless authenticity to the screen. Knowing that the pair have shared a friendship since childhood makes perfect sense after watching the film, as their interactions feel spontaneous and deeply lived-in. Their bond forms the emotional centre of the story, allowing Perretta to explore adolescence through a relationship that is as playful as it is vulnerable.
The narrative follows Ish, a young teenager living with his father Naeem (Avin Shah), older sister Samira (Joy Crookes), and grandmother Nanu (Sudha Bhuchar). The family continues to navigate the emotional aftermath of losing Ish’s mother, with each member coping in their own quiet way. For Ish, escape comes through his friendship with Maram. Early scenes of the pair roaming local woodland and building a hideout establish an atmosphere of youthful freedom before the film gradually introduces the harsher realities waiting beyond childhood. Captured in crisp black-and-white by cinematographer Jermaine Canute Edwards, these opening moments possess a gentle intimacy that enhances the film’s grounded aesthetic rather than serving as a stylistic flourish.
As Ish and Maram grow older, innocence begins to give way to a growing awareness of prejudice and institutional discrimination. This shift reaches its emotional peak during a hostile stop-and-search encounter with police, where Maram is subjected to aggressive treatment while Ish instinctively flees. The incident fractures their friendship, exposing feelings of guilt, anger, and betrayal, while also illustrating the unequal realities faced by young people from different backgrounds. Although Ish embraces familiar coming-of-age themes—identity, peer pressure, and changing friendships—it distinguishes itself through its sharp examination of systemic racism and the social forces shaping its characters’ lives.
The film’s greatest weakness lies in the sheer number of issues it attempts to address within its concise 87-minute runtime. Alongside grief and adolescence, the screenplay tackles Islamophobia, racial profiling, and the ongoing violence in Palestine. These themes are individually compelling, but together they sometimes compete for attention, leaving certain ideas feeling only partially explored. Even so, the screenplay frequently delivers moments of genuine emotional impact, particularly through Maram, whose Palestinian-British identity informs his growing political awareness and personal frustrations.
Despite occasional narrative overcrowding, Ish remains consistently engaging because of its emotional authenticity. Hasnat and Kitana deliver confident, natural performances that make both the joy and heartbreak of their friendship feel entirely believable. Joy Crookes also makes an impressive acting debut, bringing warmth and personality to Samira. Perretta’s commitment to realism ensures the story never loses sight of its characters, and even when the screenplay feels overextended, the film’s sincerity and strong performances leave a lasting impression. Ish is an ambitious debut that captures both the fragility of youth and the social realities surrounding it with compassion and conviction.
Overall: 7.5/10
Movie Reviewer
