Mumbai, Sept. 17 -- Manish Malhotra has surprised audiences by releasing Ul Jalool Ishq, the first song from his debut production Gustaakh Ishq, ahead of schedule. The teaser alone had created a surge of anticipation; the song arrives as an extension of that excitement and gives a first real taste of the film's mood and world.

At the centre of the track is Fatima Sana Shaikh. The first frames show her framed by the fading grandeur of Punjab's old kothis, walking through empty corridors where time seems to have slowed. There's a glow to her presence and ann intensity that allows the audience to feel the character's inner life without a single word being spoken.

Her performance turns Ul Jalool Ishq into more than a love song. It's a study...