Imtiaz Ali’s Laila Majnu doesn’t have anything new to set on the table for you. It has the story which is widely discussed and the treatment which is cliched and predictable to describe. Even when you aren’t appreciating anything about Ali’s cinema, you are taking music that stays with you for long. Here, you don’t even get that much. One thing the film does for you though, as most Ali’s films do, is that it makes you want to pack your bags and explore the stunning locations of the valley. But, just that.

The film is fast-moving and highly kinetic, and the two leads come across as two cocky, grinning rebels full of verve, fantasies and dreams.

In Imtiaz Ali’s films like “Rockstar”, “Jab Harry Met Sejal” and “Tamasha”, the focus is always on the man and how he reacts to unrequited love. The tortured, angst-ridden hero is a running theme in all his films, and in “Laila Majnu”, we see another version of him. To Avinash Tiwary’s credit, he sinks his teeth into the role and has an arresting screen presence that makes it difficult to take your eyes off him.

There’s nothing to savour in Laila Majnu, till it goes insane…

What do you say about a film that contains the most exasperating thirty minutes as well as the most enthralling thirty minutes of the year?

Much ado about nothing…Laila Majnu is set in modern-day Kashmir. A Kashmir without guns, gore, government — and, but for one misguided soul, Kashmiris.

Brother of Imtiaz Ali, Sajid, has made a thoughtful film, about young lovers torn apart by their families and the world.

This is a love story of extremes and at times, the parts of the film do seem a bit unbelievable. When you’re retelling a classic tragedy about undying and unrequited love like ‘Laila Majnu’, you can’t expect bubble-gum romance. Sajid’s effort is achingly honest and it is visible throughout the film. In his first film, he takes a very deep look at romance and there’s definitely no space for frivolity here. With all its intensity and passion, it’s a good break from breezy romcoms and one that will stir emotions within.