Laila Majnu review: Riveting performances add magic to Sajid Ali's adaptation

Is it possible to truly go insane in love? This question remained with your reviewer after witnessing Sajid Ali's directorial debut. Through the age-old fable of Laila-Majnu, Ali manages to examine the slow retreat of a romantic into his own dreamy abstraction to escape the insane tragedies effected by the real world.

With a splendid performance by Avinash Tiwary and Tripti Dimri, who play the tragic lovers, the film has enough to make for an entertaining adaptation of a centuries-old tale. 

Laila Majnu trailer: Love leads to madness in Sajid Ali's directorial debut

Laila (Dimri) is the flirtatious, rebellious daughter of Maqsood (Parmeet Sethi). Qais aka Majnu (Tiwary) is the rich, debauched dreamer son of Ghulam (Benjamin Gilani). Like the legendary lovers, they belong to two families involved in a feud over Maqsood's family property. Sworn enemies on two opposite banks of the river. 

The two star-crossed lovers meet on a moonlit night, in very unromantic conditions. Qais is clearing his bladder while Laila is hiding away from him and his ruffian friends. But this soon sets the tone for an entertaining though cliched meet-cute. 

Soon, Srinagar is blazing with talk of the affair between the two. Maqsood uses the age-old tradition of emotional blackmail to get Laila married off to Ibban (Sumit Kaul) while Qais leaves for London to simmer in anger for four years. 

The death of Qais's father marks the beginning of the second half and the return of Majnu to the desolate paradise. After four years of suffering under Ibban, Laila can't stop herself from returning to Qais, but her practicality constantly demands more of his patience. At first, it is the promise of a divorce, then there is the hope after her husband's death. 

But by then, Majnu is long thrown into the throes of his own depression and ecstasy. As the tragedy moves towards its predictably frenzied end, the real world fades away into the shadow of the fable that dominates the film.

Sajid Ali's film manages to beautifully combine the scenic elements of a paradisical Kashmir with the impending doom in the lovers' tale. The screenplay, by Imtiaz Ali, is marked by its psychological analysis of Majnu's descent into madness. Make no mistake, this is Majnu's tale, with little explanation of the impact of the events on Laila's psyche.

The film has wonderful music that punctuates its key moments. Niladri Kumar and Irshad Kamil combine perfectly to symbolize Majnu's descent into madness with the 'Hafiz Hafiz' song. The sense of devotion, ecstasy, and surrender that is almost religious is captured in Kamil's magical verses. 'Aahista' is another serene, memorable song that forms the theme of the lovers' eternal wait. The title track is a peppy, hummable score that is sure to catch on as well. 

The alternating use of flashbacks, hallucinations and dreams is a signature element in Imtiaz Ali's stories, most notably Rockstar (2011). As the writer of the film, he infuses the legend with a touch of psychological analysis, tending to Freud's statement that 'we are never so defenceless against suffering as when we love'.

However, the duration of 140 minutes feels a little stretched, with the film probably needing a sharper hand to cut a few scenes. 

Avinash Tiwary delivers an outstanding performance as the charming, enigmatic Qais. While the first half feels a little stereotypical with his role as the flirtatious charmer wooing the young woman, it is in the second half that he takes over completely. He embodies the interior workings of Qais's depressed, frenzied mind beautifully. 

Tripti Dimri, too, makes an assured debut. The actress has little scope, in comparison with her male co-star, but manages to make her presence felt. And she matches him in the first half with her charm and confidence. 

The Kashmiri element is brought through nicely by the supporting cast. Sumit Kaul delivers the other tragic side-story of the film as Laila's ignored husband and the villain of the piece. His is another performance to watch out for. Qais's brother is played impeccably by Abrar Qazi. 

In all, Sajid Ali manages to create an entertaining philosophical film despite the predictable nature of the story, enhanced by the performances of his lead cast, particularly Tiwary. As for the question at the beginning of the review, one can turn to the poet John Keats who said, 'Nothing ever becomes real 'til it is experienced.' But then, tragedies ought not to be experienced, despite their legendary nature.

Watch the film's trailer below: