Review: Laila - Absurd and Mindless

Movie: Laila
Rating:1.5/5

Cast: Vishwak Sen, Akanksha Sharma, Abhimanyu Singh, Babloo Prithiveeraj, Vineet Kumar, Kamakshi Bhaskarla, Prudhvi, and Others

Director: Ram Narayan

Produced By: Shine Screens

Release Date: February 14, 2025

Story:

In the Old City of Hyderabad, Sonu Model (Vishwak Sen) manages a beauty parlor. The women in the neighborhood appreciate his talent as a makeup artist, which has made him and his beauty salon quite popular in the area. To support one of his customers and her family, Sonu encourages her to use his name as a brand ambassador for the cooking oil enterprise that her husband is managing. In what way did Sonu find himself in a difficult situation while trying to help his client? What caused 'Sonu', a man, to become 'Laila', a woman? What occurred when 'Sonu' transformed into 'Laila'? The answers to the above-mentioned questions form the rest of the story.

Performances:

During the second half, Vishwak Sen engaged in an experiment by portraying a female character. He performed reasonably well as Sonu and Laila, but a poorly written character limits his potential as an actor. Akanksha Sharma, playing the lead actress, showcased a significant amount of skin, but her character development falls short. Abhimanyu Singh received a substantial role and performed well, being the only one to elicit some laughter in certain scenes. Babloo Prithiveeraj portrayed a foolish character, while Vineet Kumar, as an ardent fan of Megastar Chiranjeevi, often sounded loud and irritating. Kamakshi Bhaskarla maintained a proper attitude. 30-Years’ Prudhvi got wasted in an insignificant character.

What worked for the film:

A couple of sequences in the first half involving Abhimanyu Singh and his family generated a few laughs. While not hitting the target level, Vishwak Sen brings good energy and delivers dialogues effectively in some moments. 

What did not work for the film:

From the very beginning, Laila presents a series of exaggerated and outdated scenes masquerading as comedy. Throughout the film, it was obvious that the writing department lacked creative ideas. In the first half, the romance between Vishwak Sen and Aakanksha Sharma suffered from weak writing and execution, with an excessive focus on Aakanksha Sharma's revealing outfits. Targeting the masses with glamorous elements and double entendre is acceptable, but it still needs solid support in terms of character development and behavior. The reason for which the heroine falls for the Hero is far away from logic. 

While the interval scene brings a glimmer of hope, the motive behind the protagonist's female disguise seems foolish. The film features nearly every character written poorly, leaving actors with little to work with in those ridiculous roles.  

Laila Review and Verdict:

Laila turns into a chaotic ride filled with silly and absurd scenes. Vishwak Sen's efforts do not get the desired backup by writing/direction. The film does not engage viewers, except for a handful of scenes with Abhimanyu Singh