Movie Name : Laila
Release Date : February 14, 2025
Cast : Vishwak Sen, Aakanksha Sharma, Kamakshi Bhaskarla, Abhimanyu Singh, Vineet Kumar, Babloo Prithiveeraj, Prudhvi Raj, Sunishith etc.
Director : Ram Narayan
Music Director : Leon James
Andhrawatch.com Rating : 2/5
Story:
Sonu (Vishwak Sen) has a beauty parlour in Old City, left to him by his deceased mother. He is the favorite make-up artist to most of the women in that locality and everybody loves him due to his pleasing and kind behavior. His world is turned around when he comes to fall for Jenny (Aakanksha Sharma), who is a fitness trainer. Unfortunately, things fall apart Sonu reveals secret about when SI Shankar (Babloo Prithiveeraj) having two wives, and becomes his nemesis.
The situation becomes grimmer when Sonu makes up a woman who eventually gets married to Rustum (Abhimanyu Singh). Post wedding, Rustum realizes that his bride’s looks are just skin deep as she is dark-skinned by birth. Rustum feels cheated and decides to seek revenge against Sonu.
Compounding his woes, Sonu assists a woman who is in the oil trade, but the food laced with oil makes several individuals sick, getting Sonu into even more trouble. Before long, his foes begin attacking him, and Sonu finds it necessary to go into hiding. In order to do so, he disguises himself as a female and takes on the name Laila.
In his new life, Sonu (in the guise of Laila) becomes intimate with a few individuals, but the threats continue to increase. With whom does he form a relationship in disguise? Who is responsible for accusing him of the oil scandal? Why does he have such an affinity for makeup and beauty salons? How does his true identity reveal itself to the villains? All these questions unravel as the plot progresses, replete with twists and turns.
Review:
Vishwak Sen’s commitment to acting out a female disguise in the latter half of the film is appreciated, but the character that was allotted to him did not allow him to utilize his full potential. Even though his performance was adequate, the weak script did not provide him with an opportunity to give an Oscar-winning performance.
Akanksha Sharma, as the heroine, gave more attention to how she appeared rather than performed, leading to a performance which was easily forgotten and lacked meaning.
Abhimanyu Singh had a larger role and managed to offer some lighter moments, though his acting was not impressive. Babloo Prithiveeraj and Vineet Kumar, playing exasperated fans of Megastar Chiranjeevi, were too loud and too whiny, disrupting the flow of the film.
Kamakshi Bhaskarla, wife of Abhimanyu Singh, tried to bring much-needed equilibrium to the cast with a good performance. Social media sensation Sunishith, though, was not able to bring the desired comedic relief, with his jokes missing the mark. Prudhvi Raj, normally a comedic treasure, did not manage to leave a mark, with his scenes not getting the desired laughter.
While Laila has a good premise, its potential is not fully realized by director Ram Narayan. The movie could have been more even in terms of suspense and enjoyable moments throughout but the second half has the latter missing in the first half, which takes away from the viewing experience.
The differences between the lead actors could have been established better, and once the lady getup is introduced, some of the scenes are underwhelming. Furthermore, the film appears to lose logic at times. Although the second half does try to bring out some comedy, the director is unable to maintain the momentum throughout.
Leon James, known for his previous musical hits, doesn’t quite hit the mark with the soundtrack of Laila, as none of the songs leave a lasting impression. However, the production values from Shine Screens are impressive, lending the film a polished look.
In the end, Laila struggles to captivate. While Vishwak Sen gives his best, the film’s weak script, crude humor, and lack of depth leave it feeling tedious and unconvincing. Despite its potential, the film fails to engage or entertain fully.