The Quest for Laila
How Zoya Akhtar gave India’s middle class their dream girl
“Seize the day, my friend! First, live this day to the fullest. Then think about 40.” ~ Laila, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
It’s 2011. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara just came out and you’re scampering to the theatre to watch the film that everyone’s been talking about so animatedly. With my age still in the single digits, watching it with my family was inevitable.
My parents loved the film; however, for my younger brother and me — the popcorn was great. Oh, but the scene where they hit each other with tomatoes? Perfection.
Since then, I’ve had the privilege of watching it countless times. You see, ZNMD is a film that ages like fine wine. The older you get, the more it resonates. ZNMD isn’t just about the physical and emotional journeys of the three protagonists; Zoya Akhtar carefully sneaks you into the backseat of their car, setting you on a transformative expedition of your own.
Amidst the whole journey, one character caught my eye— Laila. And that’s not just because she was pretty.
Although I speak for several people when I say this, it was an added advantage.
A closer look at Laila
If I had a dollar for every time Laila played therapist to Arjun, I’d have ten dollars — not much, but it’s surprising how often it happens. In fact, her screen time was governed by how much Arjun needed her for his own character development.
Laila is a prime example of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl (MPDG) archetype. For the unversed, the MPDG only ever exists to help the protagonist break out of his mundane life and discover joy, all while having no backstory or development of her own.
While I respect Laila and all she’s done for Arjun and the gang, I feel she is often over-idealised. She has no agency, no dreams of her own. Great potential reduced to a mere plot device.
However flawed the technicality of her character, she remains iconic in that she quickly became the dream girl of the Indian middle class — hitting all the right notes for all the right reasons.
Painting the Indian middle-class dream
“Do well in your board exams, and you’re set for life.”
“Crack the national competitive exam, and you’re set for life.”
“Complete your degree, and you’re set for-”
“Get a job, and you’re set-”
“Get married-”
“Buy a house-”
When does it end? When are we truly set for life? It’s almost like the finish line takes off on a run of its own as you begin approaching it. Taunting you by running faster than your feet can keep up.
The middle class saw a reflection of themselves in Arjun — a ruthless hunger for money and the luxuries it could afford. Even if it robbed them of their health, happiness and hobbies. The distant dream of a comfortable life kept them going mindlessly.
Laila served as a breezy reminder that there was a lot more to life than the rat race we found ourselves in. That it was okay to lay back and savour the moment, instead of remaining in a perpetual state of panic about the future. That life was more than the mundane routines we had wrapped ourselves in. That it was our duty to live a life worth dying for.
Laila’s carefree nature reminds us that the pursuit of happiness shouldn’t be tied solely to the future. It’s about cherishing the moments in between, breaking free from the monotony, and living intentionally — with purpose, without waiting for external validation.
Maybe it’s time we asked ourselves: Are we truly living, or just waiting for the next milestone?
Perhaps it’s time to take a page from Laila’s book and seize the day.
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Featured film: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Year of release: 2011
Director: Zoya Akhtar
