Laila Majnu (1976)

Laila Majnu is a 1976 Hindi movie based on the legendary story of Layla and Majnun. This film version is directed by Harnam Singh Rawail ( H.S. Rawail) and stars Rishi Kapoor, Ranjeeta, Danny Denzongpa, Aruna Irani, Asrani, Iftekhar, Tom Alter and Ranjeet. The film's music is by Madan Mohan and Jaidev.

Layla and Majnun, also known as The Madman and Layla - in Arabic مجنون و ليلى (Majnun and Layla) or قيس وليلى (Qays and Layla), in Persian: لیلی و مجنون (Leyli and Madjnun), (Leyli və Məcnun) in Azeri - is a classical Arabic story of star-crossed lovers. It is based on the real story of a young man called Qays ibn al-Mulawwah (Arabic: قيس بن الملوح) from the northern Arabian Peninsula. In one version, he spent his youth together with Layla, tending their flocks. In the other version, upon seeing Layla he fell passionately in love with her. In both versions, however, he went mad when her father prevented him from marrying her; for that reason he came to be called Majnun Layla, which means "Layla's Lunatic."

Synopsis

HS Rawail's cinematic version of this moving tale of the original star-crossed lovers, Laila Majnu, starring Rishi Kapoor and Ranjeeta, does full justice to this enduring tale. It has the intense pangs of love, the painful obstacles that lie in its path and a soul-stirring performance by its lead actors as they bring Laila and Majnu alive. The musical score was composed by maestro Madan Mohan, who died before completing the film, and hence the baton was carried forward by Jaidev, seamlessly.

Actors