28 years after 'Forrest Gump', Bollywood offers a remake

The adaptation tells the story of one man's journey, but also of modern India.
 By 
Meera Navlakha
 on 
Actor Aamir Khan sitting on a train, holding a white feather.
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Tom Hanks classic Forrest Gump released in 1994, winning a plethora of awards, tugging at heartstrings, and maintaining a legacy 28 years later. Now, one of India's biggest actors is remaking the film for a global audience.

Laal Singh Chaddha, starring Aamir Khan in the titular role, is Bollywood's take on Robert Zemeckis' film "through the lens of India’s modern history and culture," as the film's synopsis outlines.

The trailer offers a glimpse into how this storytelling unfolds, spanning cities, timelines, and historical events in India. The opening line will prove familiar to many viewers, replacing "box of chocolates" with an iconic Indian sweet: "Mummy used to say, ‘Life is just like a golgappa. Your tummy might feel full, but your heart always craves more."

The movie, produced by Khan and directed by Advait Chandan, is being distributed by Paramount Pictures. The screenwriter, Atul Kulkarni, reportedly spent close to a decade writing the script and adapting the original movie. Kareena Kapoor, Mona Singh, and Naga Chaitanya also star in the film.

Laal Singh Chaddha will hit cinemas Aug. 11 with streaming dates to follow.

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Meera Navlakha

Meera is a journalist based between London and New York. Her work has been published in The New York Times, Vice, The Independent, Vogue India, W Magazine, and others. She was previously a Culture Reporter at Mashable. 


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