Thread by @Kneeche

Rajiv Mathur (Ishq Vishk) is the exact opposite—and yet, the seed—of Kabir Singh. Both played by Shahid Kapoor, 15 years apart. A thread on the ironic parallels between the innocent lover boy & the so-called toxic rebel. 🧵🎬🔥

The Slap! 👋

• Ishq Vishk (2003): Payal (Amrita Rao) slaps Rajiv for being a jerk. Doesn’t matter?
• Kabir Singh (2019): Kabir slaps Preeti, believing it’s “love.” Controversial.

From beta version of romance to full-blown rage and possessiveness—how did we get here? 🤯

The Academic Irony 📚

• Payal writes notes for him, marks his proxy when he bunks class, he barely gets time to study for exams and is known as the best dancer of the college 🕺
• Topper of the class, he teaches Preeti and schools other classmates, is the Football champ ⚽️

One is a beta personality, the other one is as alpha as it can get 😎

The Alcohol Arc: From Victim to Addict 🥃

Rajiv in Ishq Vishk can’t handle alcohol—
• Trick-drunk in the interval scene, makes a fool of himself by getting slapped by Payal
• Forced-drunk in his birthday scene, fights with Mambo, leaves his own party early

Kabir Singh? Lives on whiskey & self-destruction.

From the guy who couldn’t stomach a drink to the man who drowns himself in it. 🍻

The “Prove Your Love” Moment ❤️
• Rajiv earns back Payal’s love with a heartfelt confession & a karwa chauth moment 🥺 #romantic
• Kabir forces Preeti to “prove her love” by leaving her family & marrying him.

One tries old and deceptive tricks, the other one shoots straight!

#KiaraAdvani #AmritaRao

The Bike = Their Personality Shift 😀 😡
• Ishq Vishk: Rajiv rides a Kawasaki Bajaj Eliminator, a stylish cruiser—because he wants to look “cool” for the girls. 🏍️ MH01J9864 🥲

• Kabir Singh: He rides a Royal Enfield Bullet, a rugged, no-nonsense bike—because he’s mature and aggressive. 🔥

One is desperate to impress, the other is by default impressive 🏍️

IRL, @shahidkapoor is an avid biker too! 🥇

The “Rebound Relationship” Arc 💔
• Ishq Vishk: After losing Payal, Rajiv dates Alisha (Shenaz Treasury), the hot, popular girl—but realizes she’s not the one.
• Kabir Singh: After losing Preeti, Kabir briefly dates an actress (Nikita Dutta)—but treats her as a distraction, where he was asking for her “help”.

Both characters use someone else to cope with heartbreak in the second half, only to realize their first love was irreplaceable.

The Full Circle climax:
• Both films end with Shahid giving an emotional monologue—Rajiv begging Payal for forgiveness, Kabir believing he has lost Preeti forever. 🥺
• Both times, the girl surprises him, forgives him, and playfully slaps him, bringing their love full circle.🥹

Same actor. Same ending. Two completely different journeys😇

. #KiaraAdvani #AmritaRao

The Transition from Chocolate Boy to Angry Young Man
•Ishq Vishk introduced Shahid as the cute, goofy lover.
•Kabir Singh redefined him as the rebellious, flawed, passionate anti-hero.
•From romance to rage. From Rajiv to Kabir.

Which version of Shahid Kapoor do you vibe with more? 💙🔥 Drop your thoughts!

#ShahidKapoor #KabirSingh #sandeepreddyvanga #IshqVishk

@shahidkapoor @threadreaderapp unroll