One Line Review: “A beautiful journey of a Qais becoming Majnu for his Laila!”
Release Date: 7th September, 2018
Starring: Tripti Dimri as Laila, Avinash Tiwary as Qais, Sahiba Bali as Ambreen, Parmeet Sethi as Masood
Directed by: Sajid Ali
What’s it About?
Laila Majnu is a remake of the classic “Laila Majnu” which starred Rishi Kapoor and Ranjeeta. The movie shows a modern love story of Qais Bhatt (Avinash Tiwary) and Laila (Tripti Dimri) who are madly and deeply in love with each other and how together they fight against the world. The movie was located and shot in Kashmir. Not all stories have a happy ending and Laila Majnu is one of them.
“Avinash Tiwary’s fervent performance coupled with Imtiaz Ali’s magic with the pen and the enchanting music makes revisiting the folklore of Laila Majnu worth it.”
~ Filmibeat
Some love stories never die, they stay in the hearts of people forever.Like the hashtag says “#Pyaarmeinpagal ; the modern day Laila Majnu is one such story which takes us to the journey of a love which is crazy, mad and passionate at the same time.
Having said that, on the scale of 1-10, I would rate Laila Majnu a 9/10!
Plot/Storyline
Qais Bhat is portrayed as the charming typical “Rich spoilt brat” who lives on his father’s money and is a womanizer; His reputation in the town is of “a crazy man” whereas Laila is the daughter of Masood who has major issues with Qais’s father Ghulam Sarwar.
Laila is a very free-spirited girl who enjoys guys’ attention. She’s fun, loves to look good, and is flirtatious. She loves the idea of being in love and wants to know what it feels like to be loved or having a guy in life. She wants to live her life on her own terms, a life that is uninhibited.
The first half of the movie introduces us to all the characters. Qais meets Laila accidentally at an infamous place in the town and then stalks her to get her mobile number.
It also shows us the discreet love of Qais and Laila. From their secret long drives to their “chai dates”, from their phone calls to their eye contacts, their sweet romance is something which we all have dreamt of at one point in our lives!
Everybody gradually starts gossiping about them and that’s how Masood (Laila’s father) comes to know about it. The duo decides to talk to their families where Qais says “Hamari kahani likhi hui hai” (Our story has been written by the Almighty himself and that he is destined to meet Laila) but till then it becomes too late.
Masood fixes Laila’s marriage with someone else. Unwillingly Laila has to agree with it because she cannot hurt her father no matter. Qais tries to oppose him but nothing works, he bids adieu to Laila by saying “Jaa ab nahi aata, ab tu hi dhund mujhe” (I will not return now, you will have to find me).
The second half of the movie takes us on an emotional roller coaster ride. Ghulam Sarwar (Qais’s father) dies of a heart attack and Qais returns from London after 4 years. Qais comes back with a completely different look, his beard grown, dressed simply. The most beautiful scene in this half is when he comes in the frame, there appears “Majnu”.
Laila meets Qais after 4 years as if meeting for the first time ever! They decide to elope; but again due to the societal pressure, they decide not to, for Laila asks him to wait some more for them to be together. But the feeling of longingness starts killing Qais. He becomes so used to the absence of Laila that he thinks she is everywhere. She is nowhere but she is everywhere. As if he fights against all the norms of the society just to be with Laila! Qais is unaware of the world around him, he doesn’t care what the world thinks of him, he just wants to be with Laila; wherever, forever!
What I Liked/Disliked?
Avinash Tiwary and Tripti Dimri have done an excellent job and have given complete justice to their characters. The movie along with soulful melodies by Joi Borua, Mohit Chauhan, Atif Aslam, etc, awes us with the alluring beauty of Jammu and Kashmir.
My personal favorite was the song O’meri Laila sung by Atif Aslam. It is both a happy and an emotional song, it feels like Qais and Laila have met in the heavens and now nobody can separate them! The screen time of both of them is quite less. How were the 4 years in London for Qais without his beloved Laila? How did it affect him so much? The movies don’t really provide an answer to these questions. But all is fair in love!
Final Words
“Laila Majnu” is the purest love story you will ever watch. It’s is an underrated masterpiece written by Imtiaz and Sajid Ali! The movie is light, touching, and can be watched with family.
“Laila Majnu” is a must-watch for people who believe in love and for those who don’t, it will make you believe in it!
