Laal Singh Chaddha compares life to 'golgappas'... they fill the stomach, but not the heart. Aamir Khan's remake of Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump is just that... it fills you but leaves you yearning for more. The sweetness of the 'golgappa pani' is there, and maybe a hint of tanginess too. But the spicy hit is missing. Are the times that we live in today, the reason for taking the safe path? Well, that is an answer that we may not want to hear.
Okay, leaving all the serious talk behind, the question that has been the point of discussion. Is Laal Singh Chaddha a frame-to-frame copy of Forrest Gump? Well, it is the same movie except that it is set in Indian circumstances. Also, it is set at a very different time. While the 1994 movie was set in the America of the 1960s and 1970s, Laal Singh Chaddha begins in a decade older India. The story remains the same but the scenarios and situations are tweaked. Yes, we have the important political events unfolding in the background, but these remain just that... a mere backdrop. The stress is more on Laal and his love for Rupa which is the driving force for almost everything that he does and feels.
Talking about the performances, Aamir Khan steps into the character of Laal Singh Chaddha with commitment and delivers a decent performance. But for me, it was Kareena Kapoor Khan as Rupa who made an impression. Thanks to some good writing, her character has much more to offer as compared to Jenny in the original who came across as rather one-dimensional and boring. Mona Singh as Laal's mother is all heart. She is the typical onscreen 'maa', but she plays it with honesty. Chaitanya as Bala and Manav Vij as Mohammad provide the able support. I must mention the performances by Ahmad Ibn Umar and Hafsa Ashraf, the children who play young Laal and Rupa. Their innocence and connection with each other light up the screen. Their moments together are some of the best in the film.
For his second directorial, Advait Chandan does a commendable job. Atul Kulkarni in his debut as a writer stays true to the original material adding the Indian touch. But I wish he had delved a bit deeper and given us more to delve into. Satyajit Pande makes every frame beautiful as he captures the beauty of the characters and the locations. Pritam's music is soothing.
The final word... Laal Singh Chaddha is definitely a movie to watch. (Yes, even if you have seen Forrest Gump). It does not surpass the original, but it manages to come close enough. And yes, it definitely has more heart than the original.
Laal Singh Chaddha hit the screens on August 11, 2022. Watch it at a theatre near you.