Adapting a classic comes with worries for fans who have witnessed many such attempts going awry. When it's the much-loved classic and the Best Picture winner Forrest Gump, there are even more reasons to be worried about. For the makers of the 2022 Indian remake, Laal Singh Chaddha (which you can check out on Netflix right now), it was the culmination of an eight-year-long journey to getting the rights to the Hollywood classic when Paramount Pictures finally decided it was time for Winston Groom's 1986 story to be retold through the Indian lens. Much like the 1994 original, Laal Singh Chaddha places the eponymous slow-witted but endearing protagonist at the crossroads of modern history of the country the story is set in - this time, India. While the official remake did not make heads turn at the box office at the time of its release, it gets quite a few things right when it comes to adapting the story into a different setting. Although it may feel like Forrest Gump's (Tom Hanks) bizarre but imaginative story is one that is hard to replicate outside the American context owing to the connection the film has to 20th-century America, Laal Singh Chaddha beautifully and brilliantly adapts the same to an Indian setting.
Are the Plots the Exact Same?
In terms of the story arc, Laal Singh Chaddha stays true to the original with its focus on the extraordinary story of a man who achieves way more than what people might expect from him. The Indian remake identifies that Forrest Gump's story finds its soul in the journey of a man who was present at the most pivotal moments of the country's history. The rich modern Indian history provides ample opportunities to easily place Laal Singh Chaddha, a Sikh man from Punjab with below-average intelligence, amidst crucial historical junctures. Much like Forrest Gump, Laal Singh Chaddha becomes the witness to the most pivotal moments of his native country's history. The only difference is that Forrest Gump somehow played a more active role in his country's history as opposed to Laal Singh Chaddha who was reduced to more of a witness' role. However, the choice of a Sikh man to be the protagonist allows the makers to have Laal Singh Chaddha placed amidst some of the most turbulent times in Indian history.
'Laal Singh Chaddha' Stays True to 'Forrest Gump,' Mostly
Apart from the differences in the historical context, the way the story progresses in the Indian adaptation is very familiar to the original. Laal Singh Chaddha's story starts with the bench at the bus stop being replaced by the compartment of an Indian train, the ideal place for a long-story session by a random stranger who is more than willing to share his life story with the crowd present. Similar to Forrest Gump, Laal Singh Chaddha welcomes the passenger in front of him into his world without a warning; the box of chocolates is replaced by a box of golgappas, an Indian street-side snack which is neither packed in a box nor eaten during travel usually.
From the first moment itself, it becomes evident that, unlike Forrest Gump, Laal Singh Chaddha is more expressive in his mannerisms. While it would require some observation to note that Forrest Gump is not the smartest in the room or in most rooms, Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha goes the extra mile to show that he is not the brightest. Nonetheless, both protagonists have a knack for storytelling and have ample stories to attract eager ears. As is the case with the original, Laal Singh Chaddha's story starts in his birth town. The state of Alabama is replaced by the village of Karoli in the Indian state of Punjab.
Like Forrest Gump, Laal also faces problems with walking and is fitted with leg braces. A major deviation from the original happens early in the film as Laal's mother finds herself in an easier position when it comes to getting her son placed in a school. The kinder priest offers Laal a place in the school without extracting sexual favors from his mother. At school, Laal meets his Jenny (Robin Wright) in the form of Rupa D'Souza (Kareena Kapoor), a Christian girl who later witnesses her mother's death at the hands of her father. Unlike Jenny, Rupa herself is not abused by her father.
Indian History Provides a Great Playground for 'Laal Singh Chaddha'
While Forrest Gump does not linger around much in Gump's childhood, Laal Singh Chaddha does focus on a few events that occurred in the 1980s in India. The Indian Men's Cricket Team's 1983 World Cup win becomes the first historical event to which the protagonist bears witness. Later, the story detours to the cities of Amritsar and Delhi to focus on two major events from the decade. On a visit to his aunt's house in Amritsar, Laal witnesses Operation Bluestar being carried out by the Indian security forces to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers from the premises of the famous Golden Temple, one of the holiest shrines for the Sikhs.
Later, in Delhi, Laal also sees the communal riot that followed after the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who was killed by her Sikh bodyguards to seek revenge for the operation carried out by the Indian forces within the Sikh holy shrine. This is Laal's first introduction to the harsher realities of life as his mother cuts his long hair, an identifier of Sikh men, to save him from the angry crowd attacking Sikhs across the city. Laal's mother plays down the complexities of communal hate by introducing it as a disease called Malaria to Laal. Throughout the film, whenever communal hate spreads, Laal shuts himself down in his room to stay away from the Malaria disease without comprehending the real reasons behind its spread. In Delhi, Laal also meets the Elvis equivalent in the form of to-be-star Shah Rukh Khan. Just like Gump becomes the inspiration for Elvis' famous dance moves, Laal becomes the inspiration for Shah Rukh Khan's signature move which most Indians are familiar with.
After Laal ditches the braces and becomes the runner that he is, the story quickly moves to his college years. Whereas Gump joined the football team, Laal finds an easier pursuit in athletics as he is only required to do what he does best with his limited intelligence - run limitlessly. However, Rupa's story starts deviating here from Jenny's as Rupa is not merely looking to be free in a symbolic fashion. Rupa aspires to be rich and famous one day. She even eyes the rich guy in the college - a trend that continues with her for the rest of the film. Eventually, Rupa turns out to be a girl who chases money and creates her own path of trouble. On the other hand, Jenny's journey of self-exploration and self-destruction differs from Rupa's pursuit of material wealth. In both instances though, Gump and Laal remain the ones who are ready to rescue their childhood friend.
Laal's journey throughout college remains akin to Gump's experiences. At the end of it though, while Gump chooses to join the army out of his own choice, in the case of Laal, it remains more of his mother's will that redirects him to the battlefield. In the army, Laal meets Bala (Naga Chaitanya), a man belonging to a family of undergarments makers. In the same vein as Bubba (Mykelti Williamson), Bala wants to return from the army and start his own undergarments business. Laal and Bala develop a deep friendship and later, Bala's death happens during the Kargil War of 1999. During the war, similar to Gump, Laal saves his fellow men to even win a gallantry award later. But it is during this part of the movie that Laal Singh Chaddha takes the most creative liberty.
Lieutenant Dan Is Replaced in the Remake
Gump's later business partner, Lieutenant Dan, is replaced by a man named Mohammed (Manav Vij), a Pakistani soldier saved by Laal, who did not know anything better than saving an injured man from the battlefield even if it was his enemy. Like Lieutenant Dan, Mohammed or Mohammed Paaji, as called by Laal, requires the use of a wheelchair due to his war injuries. However, Mohammed Paaji must live in the enemy country without letting anybody know about his past. He goes on to become Laal's marketing manager when Laal decides to start the undergarment business to pay respect to his old buddy, Bala. While Hurricane Carmen was the factor that changed the tide for Gump and Dan's shrimping business, an easier solution to the hurdles in Laal's undergarment business is provided through Mohammed Paji when he proposes that the brand's name should be changed from "Bala" to that of a girl, with the rationale being that men are attracted towards girls. Laal writes down the only girl's name he knows - Rupa. As predicted by Mohammed Paaji, Rupa undergarments become a big brand and Laal and Mohammed become the owners of the Rupa Corporation, which is similar to Rupa Corporate - a leading knitwear brand in India.
Amidst all this, Laal Singh Chaddha's story chooses a less complex path without delving too much into history. While Gump plays an active role in post-war protests, Watergate Scandal, and Ping-Pong diplomacy as part of the US ping-pong team, Laal leads a less adventurous life when compared to his American counterpart. He does get into turmoil with an underworld don who's been dating Rupa when he slaps Rupa in front of him, but that's about where the adventures end. Rupa's story falls in line with that of Jenny's as she tackles her difficult life and contemplates suicide when she understands that all her dreams may never be fulfilled.
On the other hand, Laal bids farewell to his business partner Mohammed Paaji when he decides that it is time to return to his country. The revelation follows when Mohammed Paaji witnesses the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and undergoes a change of heart as he realizes that many men are being misled on the path of hatred under the garb of religion. Dan's moment of peace with God is replicated at this moment when Mohammed Paaji understands that there's no bigger God than the one who resides within all humans. Through Gump and Laal's kindness, Lieutenant Dan and Mohammed Paaji find their gods in their own ways.
After Mohammed Paaji's departure, Laal's mother also bids farewell after sharing a few teary moments with her son. Rupa returns finally to Laal to share a moment of love before she is taken away by the police. Unlike Jenny, Rupa's hand was forced and she did not leave by her own choice. The story pretty much treads the same familiar path from this moment onward with Laal and Rupa finally uniting. The two marry and sometime later, Rupa dies due to a mysterious disease. In the final moments of the film, Laal is seen sending his son to school just like his mother did way back in time.
In terms of adapting the story to a different setting, Laal Singh Chaddha starts off well by utilizing the rich Indian history to give a greater context. But the adaptation falls behind in leveraging the symbolism extended by the original's bravery in portraying the historical events albeit controversially. While Forrest Gump remains an active part of American history, Laal Singh Chaddha is reduced to a passive observer. For the viewers, the journey is reduced to exploring the triviality of the events rather than the meaning they uphold. But despite its flaws, Laal Singh Chaddha's merit lies in being a faithful adaptation and a well-Indianized retelling of the American tale.