'Forrest Gump' to get a Bollywood remake starring Aamir Khan

June 4, 2022 - 1:00am

Composite image of Aamir Khan in "Laal Singh Chaddha" and Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump"

Viacom, Paramount

MANILA, Philippines — Aamir Khan, globally known for his Bollywood box office hits like "3 Idiots," will be tackling a Western classic for his new movie "Laal Singh Chaddha" — an official remake of the Oscar-winning film "Forrest Gump" starring Tom Hanks.

Khan plays the titular character of Laal, substituting for Hanks' Forrest, and is depicted as being a simple man with an extraordinary journey.

The trailer for "Laal Singh Chaddha" does not shy away from the original premise of "Forrest Gump." But instead of trudging through historical American moments, the adaptation is set around Indian culture.

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Laal says at the end of trailer, when translated into English, "My mama used to say 'Life is just like a golgappa, your tummy might be full but your heart always craves more' — a spin on the iconic "Life is like a box of chocolates" quote from "Forrest Gump."

This is not the first time Khan has figured in a remake of a Hollywood film, or a movie inspired by one.

In 1995 alone, Khan starred in "Baazi," "Aatank Hi Aatank," and "Akele Hum Akele Tum" which were remakes of "Die Hard," "The Godfather," and "Kramer vs. Kramer" respectively.

He also starred in 1998's "Ghulam" which was a copy of "On the Waterfront" starring Marlon Brando, 2008's "Ghajini" which was inspired by Christopher Nolan's "Memento," and 2013's "Dhoom 3" inspired from "The Prestige" (another Nolan film).

Khan announced in August 2020 that he had bought the remake rights of "Forrest Gump" after nearly eight years of negotiating with Paramount Pictures. The film was shot in over 100 locations around India, but production was delayed many times because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kareena Kapoor will star opposite Khan's Laal, their third collaboration after "3 Idiots" and "Talaash: The Answer Lies Within." Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan will reportedly have a camero appearance.

Robert Zemeckis' "Forrest Gump" is an adaptation of Winston Groom's novel of the same name and was a box office success that garnered 13 Academy Award nominations, winning six including Best Picture, Best Director for Zemeckis, and Hanks' second consecutive Best Actor trophy.

"Laal Singh Chaddha" is scheduled for release on August 11, 2022.

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