Laila and Majnu are bigger superstars...
Nonika Singh
In the day and age of Tinder dating apps where modern notion of romance finds a new meaning each day... where does the intense folklore of Laila Majnu fit in? Guess what, each member of the Laila Majnu team in Chandigarh has a ready answer. Ace director Imtiaz Ali, who by the way has written the story, shares how Laila Majnu is a centuries-old folk tale yet ahead of its time with elements in both its lead characters which could well be true for today’s young lovers. Imtiaz’s kid brother Sajid Ali, who makes his directorial debut with Laila Majnu, was only too willing to lend colours to big brother’s imagination.
To the lead hero, Avinash Tiwary, the very question; ‘why Laila Majnu?’ itself is unwarranted. He says, “Not too long ago Hollywood made movies like Romeo Juliet and Beauty and the Beast, if these movies found a resonance among the western audience far more modern than us, I see no reason why Indian youth wouldn’t.”
As both he and lovely lass Tripti Dimri nod: “Love is forever ,” Tripti talks about how she the ‘with it girl of today’ could relate to the lovelorn Laila. Only as she quips, “Like all Delhi girls such as me, Laila is flirtatious...” Avinash immediately interjects and apologises to Delhiwallahs on her behalf.
Imtiaz sums Laila’s character philosophically. “Laila is in love with the very idea of love and is in its quest even before she meets her lover.” For Sajid bringing to life the junnoniyat of Majnu, the man who till date is considered an epitome of intense love, wasn’t easy. To match the vision of his brother, he really had to struggle to get on the same page. Yes, he is aware of the unfair ‘fair’ comparisons that will follow suit and he is ready for the onslaught. Why did Imtiaz choose not to direct the epic tale which by his own admission finds a reflection in all his love stories?
“I did not want a repeat of things I have already done. I wanted a fresh voice to take over.”
For Sajid, contemporising the story was easier, being faithful to the original text a tougher nut to crack. Since Imtiaz has already introduced us to many shades of love, the sufiyana power of love will once again reign.
“But so will the struggle between bodily and spiritual love. Yes, the film has all the madness that Majnu is famous for, but ultimately it’s about love that transcends.” Never mind the philosophical underpinnings, it’s a take which they insist will ring a bell with millennials. So, check out how tradition and modernity coalesce and coexist in the new age Laila Majnu.
Oneness of divine love
If you are still wondering whether Imtiaz Ali is making a film on epic Krishna Radha’s eternal love, yes indeed he is. Divine love between the two inseparable and much revered divine beings has fascinated him since long. He doesn’t think he is wading into risky waters. “I would be worried if my intentions were not right.” Quiz him on whose love Radha or Krishna’s is greater and he says simply, “They are one.” Oneness of love... but isn’t that what all his films are in pursuit of.
Punjab calling
Punjab may not be the backdrop of Laila Majnu, the surreal and magical Kashmir where time stands still is. But a date with Punjab is always a must for Imtiaz Ali. And what better way to begin the trip to Punjab than by taking his team to the Golden Temple in Amritsar where newbie Avinash Tiwary stood wonderstruck. “A holy place teeming with millions, yet a soulful tranquilly pervades one’s being.”
