Dhruv Trivedi
‘Feels Like Ishq’ (“Ishq” translates to love) is an Indian anthology series on Netflix that brings together 6 standalone stories of modern-day love. Episode 6, titled ‘Ishq Mastana,’ follows the recently broken-up Kabir who finds himself an unwilling participant in a protest. His “date” with Mehr doesn’t quite go as planned, but the day ends with the two getting to know each other more intimately than expected. Another meet-cute happy ending ties the story neatly together, but the journey to it is as bumpy as the roads our protagonists find themselves stranded on. Let’s dig into ‘Feels Like Ishq’ episode 6 and see if we can pick up some of its more subtle aspects. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Feels Like Ishq Episode 6 Recap
Episode 6 opens with Kabir being driven to his date by a wealthy loudmouthed friend who tells him not to get attached before dropping him off. The two agree to meet up later at a party and, as Kabir heads to the rendezvous for his date with Mehr, he finds himself surrounded by banner-toting youngsters protesting against environmental degradation. He suggests that they go someplace quieter, but Mehr pulls him into the crowd, where one of the protesters is giving a fiery speech. A small incident with the waiting police officials snowballs into a mass arrest, and the young protestors soon find themselves being carted in the back of a police van.
Kabir is frustrated by how things have turned out and angrily tells Mehr that she was meant to be his rebound and that he didn’t want to be involved in their protest in the first place. She is hurt, and soon the group is dropped off in the outskirts of the city, left to fend for themselves and find their way back. As they trudge the dusty highway, Mehr confronts Kabir for not caring about anything, while the latter blames her for always being divisive. However, left with not much else to do as they walk back, they soon find common ground and make up.
Feels Like Ishq Ishq Mastana Ending: Do Mehr and Kabir End Up Together?
Kabir slowly begins to integrate into the group of protestors and joins them in song where they’re all impressed by his skill. His outrageous plan then helps them hitch a ride in the back of a truck, where Mehr sees him cancel his plans to party with his friend and instead choose to go for another protest with the group. The protest, they find out, is being held in honor of those (like Kabir and Mehr) that were picked up by the police earlier that day. Kabir, this time around, looks much more at home as he and Mehr stand in the protest, listening to a fiery speech. The two hold hands as the episode closes.
So it looks like Kabir and Mehr do end up together. Interestingly, at the beginning of the episode, neither of them goes into their date expecting anything to come out of it. Kabir, as his obnoxious friend says, is looking for a rebound fling that will help him get over his recent breakup. We later find out that the self-righteous Mehr was also just using Kabir to bolster the crowd at the protest and had a history of bringing whoever she could find to the events. Therefore, despite both of them coming to the date for selfish reasons, they see the other’s qualities and their own shortcomings through their time together.
Why Does Kabir Change His Mind About the Protests?
Initially, Kabir is appalled at the idea of having to spend his date at a protest and is downright furious when he gets arrested in the process. He also questions Mehr about why she keeps divisively referring to people as “us” and “them” to further her agenda. She is forced to introspect, and it is her reply that finally impresses Kabir and begins to change his outlook.
He finally understands Mehr when she tells him that she goes to protests for herself, not for the planet. Despite her activism likely not changing anything, she attends the gatherings to make sure that the world around her doesn’t sap her optimism. Kabir, who has been wallowing in misery because of his breakup, likely finds the wisdom in her words applicable to his own situation. Therefore, in the end, he might still not be convinced that protests are useful. However, he does realize that he cannot let his happiness be held hostage by things happening around him and is, therefore, content to stand at the protest with his (likely) new girlfriend.
Why Does Mehr Change Her Mind About Kabir?
Mehr finds Kabir’s apathy towards protests and saving the planet despicable and tells him so. However, she finally relents when she realizes how depressed Kabir is after his recent breakup (this is the first time he’s stepped out of his room in weeks). She also seems to realize the truth in his words when he calls her divisive and is further impressed when he quotes poetry and seems to understand its context, and not only its words. Over the course of the episode, Kabir reveals himself to be more than the shallow ignoramus she takes him for after his initial outburst. A few well-timed compliments by him at the end also help add the finishing touches to her revised opinion of the boy as she seems genuinely charmed by him.
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