'Laila Majnu' liberated me from vanity, says actor Avinash Tiwary

Actor Avinash Tiwary, who is playing the protagonist of "Laila Majnu", presented by prolific filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, says looking deglamourised in his first ever big film did not bother him as the essence of his character is to celebrate eternal love which goes beyond physicality.

"Narrating the character of Majnu made me liberated from the social trap, vanity and all the judgment that we have as people for others. That is when one can experience the true sense of freedom from mind. So as an actor, I did not think about my vanity when I was internalising my character," Avinash told IANS in an interview.

"The thought that I am not looking like a hero of a love story in my first big film, did not cross my mind," he added.

According to him, Majnu is a character with a heart of gold that can love someone at a spiritual level. He hopes the audience gets to see that beauty of the character.

Set in Kashmir, the film has been written by Imtiaz and directed by his brother Sajid Ali. It is based on the classic love story "Laila Majnu", a well-known folklore.

Not only is the film's director a debutant, but the film's lead actress Tripti Dimri is also making her first-time appearance in Bollywood.

Avinash has done short parts in some films like "Boring: A Day in the Life", "Tu Hai Mera Sunday" and a few projects on television works. "Laila Majnu" has given him an opportunity to get a wider reach.

Is he feeling any pressure before its release?

"I know that people are not coming to the theatre to see me, but how the collaboration of Imtiaz Ali and Ekta Kapoor has worked in the form of a film called 'Laila Majnu'. But I think eventually people would love the story.

"So, basically I am not feeling the pressure but out mentors and makers are. They have taken a bold step of making a film based on a classical love story with two newcomers," he explained.

Produced by Ekta Kapoor, the film "Laila Majnu" is releasing on September 7.

--IANS

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