Who is Laila? Who is Tara, or even Heer? They are not put in a story, to play their role of a lover, turning their lovers against the world or his family. They are not supposed to be conscious of the importance of their part in the bigger picture of Imtiaz Ali’s final thought. I don’t think so. They are not meant to know the mysteries of what lies on the other side of these questions or even be intrigued by these questions. Why?
Because they are beautiful metaphors of the utmost innocence, beyond and above anything ‘worldly’ we have to put up with, to survive.
And when Imtiaz Ali brings together a Qais and a Laila, it is not to create another Raj and Simran but to shake Qais’ or Ved’s world into disorder and bring to him those same questions of what lies “Pahad ke uss paar’’ or what is even the need of that Pahad? Laila, the metaphor, is his way to the answer and sometimes, she IS the answer.
Imtiaz Ali may provide different plots, ambitions, backgrounds; only to ditch the mundane and the superficialities of society, for ‘’…what you love and let it kill you’’ (Charles Bukowski). His philosophy resonates with me and since I am someone who deals with those existential questions day in and day out, I have the greatest urge to be the male character in all of his films.
Jordan in Rockstar holds Heer’s hand and walks her towards the field, away from right and wrong.
Ved in Tamasha finally breaks free from what limits him, with Tara as his guiding Star.
It was when Qais becomes Majnu (Urdu for mad), I knew why I chose to watch Laila Majnu after all these years of its release. I know the kind of effect these philosophical dramas have over me. I am all about the reaction that he gives in one noteworthy scene where he is talking to himself, leading to him getting hit with a stone and starts bleeding. He runs and he laughs. He is celebrating. He felt the rush, he was alive. His love was finally seen! He did not have to hide who he was anymore from anyone for the sake of this illusion of a world, now that he knows Laila is ‘real.’ The blood and the pain being the proof that he was not mad. He had his world in his Laila, walking with him all along, everywhere.
