Sajid considers love as the reward for his debut

Laila Majnu might have not worked wonders at the box-office, but debutant director Sajid Ali isn’t fazed by numbers.

“The feeling is very heartwarming. It feels really nice that something we have made has received really genuine love from certain quarters. That is the earning we have taken back from this film. Unfortunately, it didn’t do well at the box office, so I am also feeling bad for a lot of people who put money into it with love. This love, however, is long-living,” says Sajid.

The reactions have been extreme, with videos of people clapping in the theatres towards the end of the film doing the rounds on the internet. Did he and his brother Imtiaz Ali, the presenter of the film, expect such a response?

“I wasn’t expecting anything actually. I just wanted to make a film that I wouldn’t be embarrassed about... that was my pursuit. What we did, it came to us naturally. The end portion was something I was very nervous about, whether it would get justified or not, because just to plainly tell someone at the narration level, that the guy goes mad... how does he go mad has to be really convincing. So I am happy that people are liking it,” says Sajid.

Not many people know that Laila Majnu wasn’t supposed to be his directorial debut. It was a film titled Banana. What happened to that film? “It has got complete. Actually it was after Banana that people saw and thought that I should try directing Laila Majnu. I don’t know what’s happening with it, it’s ready,” says Sajid.

I wasn’t expecting anything actually [regarding the response to Laila Majnu]. I just wanted to make a film that I wouldn’t be embarrassed about; that was my pursuit. I’m happy that people like it.

SAJID ALI DIRECTOR

PHOTO: FOTOCORP Sajid Ali reveals that it was after his directorial venture Banana that he was considered to direct Laila Majnu