Bollywood version of 'Forest Gump'
Director: Advait Chandan
Even before Aamir Khan's latest film made it to the silver screen, a large portion of India's population, or at least those vocal on social media platforms, went on a crusade demanding its boycott. The threads #banLallSinghChaddha and #BoycottLaalSinghChaddha gave the impression that the movie was demeaning to the Indian psyche.
The keyboard warriors had all the ammunition to run down Aamir Khan. They thought his previous film 'PK' denigrated the Hindus. Then someone suggested that Aamir Khan was not alone. It seemed that the whole Bollywood mafia was concerted in bringing the values Indians held dear to them. The platform was set to bash Bollywood and the first families of Bollywood (i.e. actors who made it big due to their sheer family connections). Films that glorified India, promoted nationalism and tried to re-narrate India's past history were given publicity and feted.
People may say that cancel culture and mob mentality are just rearing their ugly heads in public space. They are telling Aamir Khan and the likes, with their newfound Indian nationalism as the world becomes more and more inclusive, to mind their words if they wish to make money out of them. They would not continue taking all the Indian bashing anymore.
Perhaps because Netflix and the other OTTs just opened the floodlights to other new non-Bollywood mafia-linked sons and daughters of actors, people have realised that they do not need Bollywood to feel good. People have also discovered that a wealth of gems are being churned out of other Indian language cinemas, especially in the South.
To be fair, this film 'Laal Singh Chaddha' is not all bad and demeaning. The only slacking thing is it is a bit draggy. If one were to nitty pick, one could say the film defames jawans (warriors) by implying that even a mentally challenged individual can be deployed as a soldier. This is, of course, a stark in the Vietnam War, which the original film depicted when the US Army had its hands full replenishing the numbers who kept returning in body bags. Uncle Sam took in all!
Laal Singh's characterisation appears too familiar. We think we saw him in 'PK'. And the frequent 'Mmming….' gets a bit annoying after some time. Diehard Bollywood would be pleasantly surprised by a digitally de-aged Shahrukh Khan appearing in a cameo role as a fledgeling newbie trying to break into the silver screen.
On a positive note, LSC excelled in creating an emotion that connected with viewers. The narrative gave a scroll down memory lane of many significant events that happened in India in recent years. The outdoor shooting is breathtaking. The idea of showing India's different skyline must have gone through Aamir Khan's mind when he saw Forrest Gump start running the whole span of the USA. Hence Khan must have bought the rights to remake the movie.
It may not be groundbreaking, but LSC is indeed a wholesome, feel-good movie that the family could watch together without being encountered in embarrassing adult moments. 3/5.
