Darpan Theatre Festival: Immortal Laila-Majnu leave audience teary-eyed in Lucknow

The SNA auditorium witnessed the timeless tale of Qays and Laila’s love as NSD actors recreated this 7th century romantic saga.

Laila-Majnu, a play staged with the conventional poetry of love and the pain of separation between Qays and Laila, left a deep impression on the minds of the audience at the Darpan Theatre Festival at Sangeet Natak Academy on Friday.

NSD’s play ‘Laila-Majnu’ staged at Sangeet Natak Academy on Friday (HT Photo)

The play was directed by Padmashree Ram Gopal Bajaj on behalf of the National School of Drama (NSD) Rangamandal where Laila-Majnu’s immortal love story with excellent music and performances left many with teary eyes.

The SNA auditorium witnessed the timeless tale of Qays and Laila’s love as NSD actors recreated this 7th century romantic saga.

The play started with Laila confiding in her mother. She tells her mother of the sweet mushy love she has been feeling towards a flamboyant poet -- who the tribe calls Majnu. In the next scene, we see Majnu falling head over heels for Laila. He has uttered her name so many times that he doesn’t see any difference between the names Laila and Qays anymore. They are both same to him.

Laila is married to Shahzade Ibn Salim who dies after some time. After mourning her husband’s death for two years, she sets out to find Qays. Laila finds Qays but she is saddened to meet him, because Qays doesn’t recognise her. Laila cries and says that ‘I am your Laila, look, I have come to you, Qays says, “you are not my Laila, my Laila is merged in my soul” and moves on. And thus, these two lovers -- bound by their passion and devotion towards each other -- are separated by destiny.

To lighten the mood of the audience, the play also included several comic skits which tickled viewers.