Director Robert Zemeckis’ classic 1994 film Forrest Gump - starring Tom Hanks as the titular character - is getting a Bollywood remake. While like any movie, Forrest Gump has its detractors, Zemeckis’ adaptation of Winston Groom’s 1986 novel of the same name managed to capture the hearts of moviegoers at the time of its release. Made on a budget of $55 million, Forrest Gump ran all the way to nearly $700 million at the worldwide box office, a staggering total for a film few expected to be a massive blockbuster.
Forrest Gump was also a favorite of critics, going to win six Oscars, including for Best Picture. Many would argue that The Shawshank Redemption or Pulp Fiction deserved the award more, but even few of its detractors would go as far as to call Forrest Gump an outright bad film. To add another accolade, Forrest Gump was selected for preservation in the U.S. Library of Congress in 2011, an honor only given to less than 1000 films to date.
Even considering the huge success experienced by Forrest Gump in 1994, it’s unlikely most would have expected to read the news today from THR that Zemeckis’ dramedy is set to be remade by Bollywood, India’s Hindi-language film industry. As many film fans are likely aware of by now, India actually makes more films than any other market, sometimes nearing 2000 per year. Bollywood makes a large portion of those, making it a true powerhouse of the film world. Now, they’re prepping a take on the film that made the saying “life is like a box of chocolates” famous.
Starring in the lead role of Bollywood’s Forrest Gump - which will be titled Lal Singh Chadha - is A-List Indian actor Aamir Khan, whose resume already boasts dozens of films. Directing is Advait Chandan, who recently worked with Khan on the 2017 film Secret Superstar. Lal Singh Chadha is an officially licensed remake of Forrest Gump as well, as buying the rights to the original material for remakes of Hollywood films is now much more common in Bollywood. Back in the day, the rules on such projects were much looser, such as with 1993’s infamous Mahakaal, which shamelessly ripped off A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Some other notable 1990s films to receive Bollywood remakes over the years include Reservoir Dogs, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Silence of the Lambs, and A Few Good Men. Hopefully Forrest Gump will be able to translate into the unique Bollywood style, which is well-known for including large choreographed dance numbers. It’s hard to imagine Forrest and Jenny doing such a routine, but stranger things have happened.
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Source: THR
