Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, which released on 11 August, is a remake of the cult classic Forrest Gump; but calling it a reimagination would do it more justice. The stark difference in the film comes from its treatment of history and politics. Forrest Gump’s lead Tom Hanks had called the film “nonpolitical and thus nonjudgmental”.
Over the years, the film that won six Academy awards including Best Actor, has been criticised as ‘conservative propaganda’ whether it was intended to be one or not.
During the 1994 midterm elections, conservatives were pushing the idea that America as a nation had ‘lost its way’ due to the counterculture movement of the 1960s and the lack of what they considered ‘family values’.
Forrest represented the ‘American Dream’ and had a protagonist (a white male) who was separated from the racial and women’s liberation movements of the 1960s. Even the film portrays a heavily toned down version of the feminist movement, something conservatives have often blamed for the decline in ‘family values’.
Robin Wright also stars in the film as Jenny Curran, his childhood friend who he falls in love with.
Jenny is placed as an ‘opposite’ to Forrest, transferring some of his less palatable characteristics to her. She represents the movements of the 60s and Forrest is positioned as her saviour.
Forrest Gump follows the life of a Forrest, a young boy with an IQ of 75, who enters and exits major historical events with nary a scratch on him. In the Indian adaptation, this iconic role is portrayed by Aamir Khan.
Unlike the original, Aamir’s film co-starring Kareena Kapoor, Mona Singh, and Naga Chaitanya, personalised the political strife the film is portraying.
Instead of being a simple protagonist distanced from the history the film is based in, Laal is a young Sikh boy seeking shelter in his mother’s arms during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Even though his mother (Mona Singh) shelters him from moments like riots and protests by telling him ‘bahaar malaria phela hua hai’, the film doesn’t dilute the landmarks it does choose to show.
The film discusses ‘obscenity’ charges against celebrities (with a cheeky look back at Milind Soman), made even more timely by the hullabaloo surrounding Ranveer Singh’s nude photoshoot.
Through Laal's understanding of the world, he doesn't understand why Rupa is being charged for obscenity but he does understand that the man heckling and harassing her outside the courtroom is in the wrong.
During the sequence inspired by the Kargil War, Laal saves the life of an ‘enemy’, a fighter presumably from Pakistan. Laal’s innocence and insistence to be a ‘good person’ (he gets his value system from his mother) helps Mohammad find his goal in life.
This also borders on the saviour complex but the conversation the film is having with the dangers of fanaticism is important.
Kareena’s character Rupa, inspired by Jenny, is also more fleshed out. Due to a rough childhood (instances of which function as commentary about the lasting effects of abuse), Rupa aspires to be rich and chooses showbiz to achieve that goal.
However, she doesn’t stumble from distress to distress like a damsel. Instead, she is shown as an independent woman who suffers due to a misogynist and dangerous system.
While Laal often shows up to beat people up when they offend or cause harm to Rupa, he isn't around to "save" her. Both Laal and Rupa's lives are filled with chaos but while Laal's mother gives his life structure, Rupa must deal with her troubles alone.
Unlike Jenny, who is shown as a woman who has 'strayed' away from the idea of an American family and good values, Rupa isn't shown to be suffering because she's not like Laal.
The major reason for this is that Forrest was the embodiment of the good American but Laal is the archetype of a good person.
In a film about and named after Laal Singh Chaddha, the female characters (played by Kareena and Mona) shine the brightest. And it’s a relief.
Above all (and this is less of a difference and more of a triumph), the film also peppers in memorable moments from India’s history: from Sushmita Sen’s Miss Universe win to Laal being a part of both a Bollywood superstar’s signature move and a successful Indian brand.
When the film doesn’t use historical events to signify the passage of time, it uses unmissable Bollywood music. If the peppy and melodic tune of Helen’s ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba’ isn’t your style, the signature Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge strums might be.
As recognition of the stars and brands and songs dawn on the audience and as they inevitably draw associations to their own life, the theatre I was in was filled with hoots and gasps (at the film's cheeky audacity at times).
While the film is marred by the over-the-top, often comical, acting style Aamir has chosen for his role, the Forrest Gump remake does well as an adaptation and reimagination, by placing it in the heart of India, without whitewashing it…too much.
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