In an interview to THE WEEK, Aamir Khan said that when he watched the first cut of the film Laal Singh Chaddha, an official adaptation of the original screenplay by Eric Roth from Robert Zemeckis's 1994 film Forrest Gump, he thought it was very close to the vision he had in mind when the team had started out. The direction by Advait Chandan, known for the 2017 hit film Secret Superstar, remained true to the script as penned down by Atul Kulkarni, said Khan.
He also said that according to him the film had been adapted "in the best possible manner while ensuring that the essence of the film remained truly Indian." Upon watching the film which packs in a good two and a half hours, one cannot disagree with Aamir - who plays the lead (Laal Singh Chaddha) and is also the producer of the film - that the film does in fact pay a tribute to the original, in that it has adapted the screenplay in letter and spirit and has given it a beautiful context that can be palatable to an Indian audience. From the very first, opening sequence when a CGI feather leads to Laal with a small red box full of 'golgappe' in his hand with the water contained separately in a bottle, we see how the screenplay has been taken frame to frame and then tweaked in to suit the Indian palate with loads of history, facts, fictionalised drama and more.
References are made subtly to different aspects of pop culture so as to give the viewer an idea of the context playing out on screen. There's Shilpa Shetty's raunchy 'Main Aayi Hoon UP Bihar Lootne' from her 1999 film Shool, the 'Abki Baar Modi Sarkar,' posters, the Kargil war, the Anna Hazare movement to the Swachh Baharat Abhiyaan and the 26/11 attacks. Laal is a witness to all of this and more.
Given that this happens to be his first film in a gap of four years, there's a lot at stake for Aamir this time around. Add to that the fact that he's also producing the film, which is made with an initial budget of close to Rs 200 crores, when much of the world has changed. We've been through a pandemic and embraced the OTT culture with both hands. In this context, Laal Singh Chaddha seems to be nothing more than the actor's own passion project. Because, even though it is undoubtedly an earnest attempt at the adaptation of an iconic Hollywood film, the execution lacks the spunk and the spark required to keep the viewer engaged.
This film is a laborious watch. Just a few days back, I rewatched the original so as to be able to appreciate the remake better. But while the original keeps you totally immersed and gripped, the remake does not come anywhere close to it. The pace of Laal Singh is annoyingly slow and dull. Perhaps you'll want to check your WhatsApp messages or even write an email as you're watching the film, because “yawn!”. The film moves at a snail's pace, making you want to take a snooze after all.
One cannot but help think about that student who, while copying from another's exam paper, just gets so engrossed in taking it down word for word under the pressure of time that he forgets to put the answers in his own words. That's exactly what has happened here. The overall essence of the screenplay has been taken exactly the way it was in the original, but while putting it in context under the pressure of time, the writer, director and others involved forgot to add that element of joie de vivre which could elevate the film to make it a delightful watch. This also comes as a surprise given that Aamir is so involved in all his projects and that he claims to have his finger on the pulse of the "audience and the market." How could he get it so wrong this time around?
In the character of Laal, Aamir looks like PK, and to a certain extent like Rancho from 3 Idiots. It appears that all he does in order to get into the skin of Laal Singh Chaddha is to arch his eyebrows, bite his lips and tighten his shoulders. Was Tom Hank's character Forrest innocent? Yes. But he was profound and not stupid. Here, Laal does appear to be acting stupid, although it is only his expressions that convey that feeling; he does nothing to prove it. Everything he does, just like Forrest, is nothing short of profound. Yes, Laal and Forrest are the products of "almost" similar circumstances placed in different cultures and times, while we want to root for Forrest, we don't so much want to cheer for Laal. Somehow, Laal does not seem to be convincing. Aamir's larger than life persona still overshadows Laal, and the acting is anything but effortless. Aamir seems fake and forced in his well-fleshed out and well scripted character arc.
Yet, the film gives us some of the most breathtaking visuals from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, while taking us on Laal's cross-country run, inspired from Forrest's similar four and a half year undertaking in the original film. Translations are a tricky territory to venture into. When one hears some of the most iconic dialogues form the original, being reiterated in Hindi/Punjabi in the adaptation, one cannot but cringe. Take this one: "I may not be a smart man but I know what love is,' and 'Main hoshiyaar nahin hoon Roopa par mujhe pata hai ki pyar ki Honda Hain.......' Nothing more to say. Mona Singh as Laal's mother is every bit believable. As she ages through the film, in the character of a young mother to an aged one, she looks promising. Kareena Kapoor as Roopa comes out alive on screen, but hardly has anything to do except to look sombre and doleful for most part. But in each of those, Kareena stands out so beautifully, that you want to root for Roopa.
Aamir's heavy heaving in the last scene when Roopa introduces Laal to his son, demands an answer: Is that the only way of showing the gravity of your emotions? I do not remember Hanks doing this at all in the exact same scene. Yet, his silence was so profound. So the point is to watch Laal Singh Chaddha for what it is, that is minus the knowledge of the original. And even then, there are chances you might find it a strained watch. In that case, take a snooze. Because both, Roopa and Laal together can neither make you laugh your heart out nor can they churn an emotional turmoil inside your heart. So it's better to skip this entirely.
Movie: Laal Singh Chaddha
Director: Advait Chandan
Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh
Rating: 2/5