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| Edited By: Hiren Kotwani |Source: DNA |Updated: Aug 30, 2018, 06:10 AM IST
Avinash Tiwary, who made his Bollywood debut as part of an ensemble cast in the light-hearted Tu Hai Mera Sunday (2016), will now be seen as the lead in Sajid Ali’s Laila Majnu. Scripted by acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who is also backing the film along with Ekta Kapoor, it’s a contemporary retelling of the classic love story. The Mumbai lad, who quit engineering in the fourth semester to pursue a career in acting, tells us about struggling for 13 years before landing his big break and the challenges of playing a man crazy in love. Excerpts...
In December 2015, the casting was underway for the film. I met Sajid, who told me that he’d liked my audition, but they were yet to take the final call. Eventually, in 2017, I was signed on for the part. After debuting in Tu Hai Mera Sunday, the struggle and waiting for a second film must have been tough. I had quit engineering and joined Barry John’s Acting Studio. After that, I went to New York Film Academy and started doing short films since 2005. I kept myself busy. By the grace of God, something or the other kept coming. So 13 years down the line, I can say I have started off now.
It was in 2016; he was gracious enough to call me home. Back then, I thought I had almost been selected for his movie, but still wasn’t entirely sure. I was nervous, but he was so humble. He asked me if I would like to have tea. Then, headed to the kitchen and made it himself. I just couldn’t believe it. I’m a huge fan of Imtiaz. Every time I see his films, I want to be a part of them.
We did a lot of workshops before we started shooting. Imtiaz (Ali) sir attended all of them and would always tell me that I needed to feel for the character and understand where he was coming from before saying the dialogues. He also trained me how to lip-sync for songs.
Sajid has lent the story a fresh voice through the dialogues. He approached the movie in a unique way. He is one of the most important forces behind the film.
If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t be hearing Laila Majnu in every second song. They are a part of our being. I think, our generation, too, should have a Laila Majnu.
You feel people don’t feel so strongly for another person in times of Tinder? Everyone finds their own functions of practicality in cinema. Which is why Laila Majnu is an epic classical love story. If every love story was like that, then there would be no difference.
As for Majnu’s madness, when was the last time you saw a guy go really crazy in love in a film? Our movie shows that jo junooniyat hai, woh kissi din nikale, toh kaisa hoga. I want to make Majnu aspirational for people. He is so liberated from the clutches of society. Today, we are stuck in a zone of vanity.
That is something I spent most time figuring out. After about seven-eight days of shooting, it finally struck me. Maybe this is my justification, but three things come to my mind. For instance, I have had a heartbreak and after four years, my ex-girlfriend and I happen to meet. She is sitting in front of me, a song plays in the background, but I’m still missing her. We make adjustments in life but what if you’re not able to make that compromise? What happens then? Usually, to console someone, it is often said, ‘Waqt guzarta hai, badalta hai.’ Lekin agar waqt guzarta bhi nahin aur badalta bhi nahin, tab kya? When we’re talking about the trappings of society, we know they exist, but still, we can’t let go. Which is why I said I want to make Majnu aspirational. We’ve become a hashtag generation. After four years, when something new comes up, we move on.
We started with the second half first, where I have long hair and beard. I had to look thin, so initially, we thought we could get the look with loose clothes. But 15 days before the shoot, we felt it wasn’t working. So, I lost about 12 kilos in a fortnight. I would have an egg white, some clear chicken soup, cucumbers, carrots and some supplements for vital vitamins. I’d do all the physical activity. Initially, we had the workshops in the mornings and I would work out in the evenings.
I also had a lot of black coffee during that time, which is not the most healthy thing. But I had to look weak.
As the film was being shot continuously, I had to also transform back into the happy cheerful Majnu for the first half, which we started shooting within days of completing the second half. It took a while for me to get into the groove, but when there is so much at stake, you just have to do it.
