Anupama Chopra’s review:
In Laal Singh Chaddha, it’s perhaps no coincidence that the Gump-like character is played by Aamir. But, film critic Anupama Chopra thinks the character Laal is very much similar to Aamir’s previous film PK.
“Forrest Gump, a boy from Alabama becomes Laal, a Sikh boy from Karoli Pathankot in the Hindi version. The young Laal played by Ahmad Ibn Umar is terrific. The boy translates Laal’s incomprehension of the world in a sort of sweet serenity.”
“But somehow this young boy who has stillness ingrained in his gaze grows up into a man who is essential ‘PK’ with physical ticks. Rajkumar Hirani’s PK and Laal Singh’s brother from another mother.💀 Both have a child-like innocence that puts the cruel world they have to inhabit into perspective. Both offer the wisdom of a fool.”
“Aamir chooses to underline Laal’s uniqueness by rolling his eyes, craning his neck, and blinking too much. The actor does it with absolute sincerity but we can see the strain. Aamir delivers an awkward and artificial performance and it becomes a stumbling block 😮,” reviewed Anupama.
Ganesh Kartikeya
9