Laila movie review

Laila is the latest film featuring Vishwaksen, directed by Ram Narayan. The film gained attention due to Vishwaksen’s lady get-up and the controversial comments made by actor Prithviraj, which added to the buzz. However, despite this publicity, the film’s opening collections indicate that neither factor helped draw audiences to the theaters. Released on February 14, Laila attempts to blend comedy and drama but ultimately struggles to engage viewers. Let’s see how it fares.

Plot Summary:
Sonu (Vishwaksen) runs a beauty parlor in Hyderabad’s Old City, considering it his mother’s legacy. Many women in the area visit his parlor regularly. One day, Sonu helps a lady customer financially and allows her to use his photo to promote her cooking oil business. Meanwhile, Rustum (Abhimanyu Singh), a butcher struggling to get married, finds an attractive woman (Kamakshi Bhaskarla) at Sonu’s parlor and decides to marry her.

However, the day after their wedding, Rustum realizes that her beauty was only due to makeup, making him feel deceived by Sonu. Adding to the chaos, many wedding guests suffer from food poisoning after consuming the cooking oil used in the wedding feast. Since Sonu is the brand ambassador of the oil company, he becomes a suspect, leading the police and Rustum to pursue him. To escape, Sonu disguises himself as a woman named Laila. What happens next? How does Sonu clear his name? The answers unfold on screen.

Analysis:

The film’s biggest drawback is its weak and unconvincing story. It makes one wonder how Vishwaksen and the producers agreed to this script. There isn’t a single engaging sequence that holds the viewer’s interest. The entire premise feels forced, as if the movie exists solely to showcase Vishwaksen in a lady get-up.
Many actors in the past have appeared in female disguises, but their transformations had strong narrative reasons. However, in Laila, Sonu’s disguise lacks conviction. From the very beginning, the screenplay struggles to keep the audience engaged. The film feels stretched, and the scenes lack coherence or purpose.
The humor, emotions, and sentiment are almost non-existent. The second half, in particular, makes it clear that the film is unlikely to attract family audiences. The writing and execution are subpar, making it difficult to sit through.

Performances:
Vishwaksen does well in the role of Sonu but fails to impress as Laila. His lady get-up, which was meant to be the film’s highlight, lacks impact. The female lead, Akanksha Sharma, is reduced to a mere glamour prop, with little to contribute beyond her appearance. None of the supporting characters leave a lasting impression, and their performances fail to elevate the weak screenplay.

Technical Aspects:
Director Ram Narayan fails to make the story compelling. His reliance on Vishwaksen’s transformation rather than focusing on a strong narrative results in a lackluster film. The cinematography is colorful, but that’s the only positive aspect of the film. The screenplay, dialogues, and emotional depth are all lacking. The background score and music fail to create any impact.

Final Verdict:
With OTT platforms offering audiences a variety of fresh and engaging content, Laila feels outdated and uninspired. The weak story, lack of humor, and dull screenplay make it an uninteresting watch. The audience is unlikely to connect with the film, and it’s safe to say that Laila is a major disappointment.