Laila Majnu

Being a millenial I never got a chance to watch original Laila Majnu on the big screen, but this passionate love story refreshed all the memories and helped us relive the epic historic moments. Characters, music, screenplay shown in the movie are brilliant and no words to describe the beauty of Kashmir, location used in the movie. Majnu's performance is mindblowing I was teary eyes many times at his plight. Ahista sung by Arijit added soul to this love saga. Watch it and experience the power of true love.

Adapted from the Persian narrative poem- Layla and Majnun, this film is presented by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Ekta Kapoor and Preety Ali, starring Avinash Tiwari and Tripti Damri in lead. Laila Majnu is directed by Sajid Ali, while written by Imtiaz and Sajid.

Film is based in Kashmir. How a girl named Laila (Tripti), a typical flirt and filmy girl, finds her love interest in a rich-spoiled man Qais, is the startup of the film. But there is an issue regarding their fathers, so the marriage seems to be impossible. What will happen next in their lives that leads them in to the state of Laila-Majnu, is the thing to look out for.

Imtiaz Ali said in his interview that the music in Laila Majnu film should not have to be average, or below averag. Despite having unknown names in music credit, we are having one of the best albums of this year. Niladri Kumar and Joi Barua have given absolutely pure music which fits perfectly into the story as well as in Kashmir. Not only that, but the lyrics have been penned by Irshad Kamil. Thus, songs are literally talking to us so much while in the film, (or even after the movie, too!) and make us fall in love with the story. All songs are incredible. Ahista is the one song I will remember for giving me one of the strongest goosebumps ever. Laila, Tu, Sarphiri - all are fantastic. While in Hafiz song, the memory of Sadda Haq pops up in the mind. In fact, there are many portions when we went to that stages which we had seen in Imtiaz Ali's films. And somehow I know why!

Because, the transition is important in every film of Ali. While, here we are seeing possibly the biggest transition a man can have, like Qais to Majnu. This is where the film goes beyond the expectations, beyond the reach of our mental state, beyond all the boundaries. And it becomes the must see film. But only for those who believe in Imtiaz and his stories, or in poetic explanations, or in purity which love brings.

Laila a.k.a. Tripti is beautiful, adorable and truthful to her lover as well as her father. Though both are newcomers, the story and performance is such that we can feel for them. I found Avinash as Qais like average. But when he returned in the second half as Majnu is mind blowing. Every reviewer has mentioned about him and his performance. Because, he has done his part brilliantly. The complexity of Majnu has been implanted magically. Namaaz scene in that portion speaks a lot. Whole review can be written on that scene only, because it says a lot. Add one more plus point, which I completely forgot was the beautiful Kashmir. There are many scenes, but don't miss the first scene after interval. Magic is awaiting for you in theaters.

Kudos to Sajid Ali. Actually, the first half was not so great. It was just good. The things happening there which eventually lead the film to its most dramatic exploitation, were not to be missed. It looks like that there is nothing, but when the story strikes you, you feel for every bit of the film. If you are going for this one, go with open mindset. Close your eyes before the film, and let the film open your eyes as well as you completely. It will become your most valuable experience.

I don't care about box-office numbers. Even the makers of this film do not care, too. Art can never be perfect, that too in its purest form. This film is a pure art which makes it an imperfect one. If it is perfect, it can't be true love. Feel the madness of true love.

If you are deep enough to appreciate the subtle nuances of the film you will be blown apart by an emotional roller coaster. Go with an open mind without any preconceived notions.

This movie will leave a lasting impression in a particular part of your memory, and you'll remember the movie through its deep portrayal, of what the pain of loss can do to a person. The movie takes a journey from what looks like an ordinary life, flirting between a girl and a boy, to the sorrowful depths of how loss of a loved one can look like and how a person takes the path of an inner journey to cope with it. Many critics and people have been whining over one same thing though, they say "how can anybody be madly in love, when their relationship has not fully developed into this mad, passionate love in the screenplay when Laila is forced to marry someone else, how come Qais and Laila are so hyper and how come Qais becomes Majnu because of this ordinary looking, under-developed love story, short of all the madness that Majnu actually shows in the second half, why did he become so mad passionate when we didn't even see any mad, passionate chemistry between the two before Laila's marriage. Let me tell you how it works; Laila and Majnu have deep feelings for each other already, they are falling in love, they have already started the journey of mutual attachment, but they haven't anticipated this painful fate of separation yet. But when two such people suddenly realize that they could get separated from each other forever, and this sudden realization of the strong circumstances of losing each other forever, makes them realize that they want each other more than ever. That's when they start the fight to be with each other. Hope you get it now, people! This thing is very common that ordinary people experience in real life, I don't know the fuss critics have created over this aspect of story. Apart from this, any number of words of praise are less to describe Avinash Tiwari's acting. He deserves good directors like Imitiaz Ali, who make him use his full acting potential. Two scenes from the movie might stay with you forever; 1-When Qais realizes that Laila is in the same Tea shop that he is sitting in, he gets so deeply engrossed in pain and all his sadness just resurfaces in that scene, while he gets up and is leaving the cafe, almost on the verge of an emotional breakdown. 2- When he faints seeing Laila after so many years. Many people may say how can somebody just faint like that. But this scene has justified the depths of what trauma looks like. He is in chronic depression already and when he encounters the main subject of his life that drove him to this depth of pain and sorrow, he gets so overwhelmed that his mind cannot take the shock of seeing his lost love again, it is the mixture of shock, happiness and trauma that shuts him down in that moment. At last, I would say, I wish this movie went to film festivals, it is a cult movie in this subject, there's other love story movie that can portray pain in such beautiful, soulful and deep interpretation of how we design our own idea of love in our head. It is not just about what happens in the world, but also how a person'a inner journey takes him to his own definition of what love could be. Ultimately, Majnu realizes that for him, Laila is eternally present in his thoughts, and almost inseparable in his own world.

There are few moments in a movie that linger on afterwords. In rockstar it was " khatara bhai main khush nahin Hun" , in tamasha it was " kayar hai tu" , and in Laila majnu it is the Hafiz Hafiz song . It reaffirms everything leading up to it and you are reassured of being on the same page as the director.

Laila majnu sees some of the finer debuts of our time by both lead actors and second half of the movie will keep you riveted by the intensity, laughs and tragedy, the director invokes from the scenes. Watch it on the big screen to enjoy the Kashmir you may have never seen.