Synccinema Quickie - Laal Singh Chaddha

Laal Singh Chaddha - (Only) Glimpses worthy of shedding some tears

Before continuing to read my review on Laal Singh Chaddha, I would like my readers to know that I have not previously watched Forrest Gump. Therefore, my opinion on this film will mostly not contain a comparative study between the films. This review will only talk about Laal Singh Chaddha as a singular film in Indian Cinema. Also, this review does not endorse any of the politically or religiously controversial elements associated with the main leads or that are incorporated into the film. 

 

This disclaimer, though long, feels extremely tiny when compared to the 3 min oration by writer Anurag Kulkarni before the film plays, who takes all his might through his words to shield the film from the controversies which arose, are arising or will arise after the release. Coming to the film, Laal Singh Chaddha, with a running time of 164 mins, for the most part, felt tedious and a tad bit boring because of the distance between the emotional dynamics on the screen and the audience which mostly felt uncovered. Until, the last half hour, when the character’s feelings really hit you.

 

Laal… starts off with a feather falling from the sky, initially quite directional, until it reaches earth where it's blown, hushed and tossed in the air by seemingly random actions from the surroundings. After a long journey (giving enough time for opening credits also), finally falls at the feet of Laal, whose life is a personification of the journey the feather took. Influenced by circumstances and surroundings, but innocent by heart. 

 

Laal is played by Aamir Khan with a certain wide and poppy-eyed gaze, a childlike charm in the smile and a closed in torso to show his unwillingness to put up a fight (as also said by the character itself after some time, that he doesn’t like to kill someone). Laal cannot be defined by only his IQ, but also by his EQ and also FQ (Fight Quotient). 

With Rupa, his childhood friend turned confidant, turned lover, he matures a lot. Initially, she becomes the perfect companion which Laal wanted, but when needed she again shows the harsh reality by constantly rejecting Laal’s ask to marry her. The reason is not entirely that she wants to be harsh, but even she wants to live a more real and practical life, far away from the world Laal lives in. It's this beautiful way their relationship is written. Their relationship does get a great start and a fantastic end in terms of drama, but what fails is in between. The middle portions feel dragged, unusually unfair because of her choice to lead a more normal life and hence choosing another guy over Laal does not come across well. Also, similar conflicts, similar responses and similar emotional hefts are brought again and again. But bear with the tediousness, as the payoff will melt your heart. In a metaphorical sense, Laal keeps the good in him but adds the better by becoming wiser. As a boyfriend, he could not save his golgappa from becoming soggy, but as a fiancé (and a husband), he brings forth his love (in the form of golgappa’s) to be crisp and tasty. Ultimately, he knows he isn’t smart, but he does know what love is. 

 

Laal, with his mother, generate the best moments in the entire film. Be it in his childhood or adulthood. His mother sows the seeds of love in him, eventually growing into a tree when he finds a similar love in his Rupa. Motherhood, is omnipresent, even when the mother is out of the picture. But the notions that her mother teaches Laal, get unnecessarily extended into droll and sometimes even unfunny jokes. Malaria is contagious, but not the laughter generated from these parts. 

With Bala, played by Naga Chaitanya in an equally titular and eccentric fashion as Aamir, Laal finds his best company during adulthood. Especially, when his mother and Rupa are not present. They become the perfect pair, as Bala says that I found a chuddy (buddy) for my baniyan. Again, this relationship too is marred by overextended jokes and regression which reduces the entire track into glimpses of touching moments in a tiresome narrative. 

 

The only relationship which feels inconsequential and may be an afterthought to add to the original material was between Laal and Mohammed. But heavens fall while they both separate as you feel for Laal, who always is forcefully made to break the relationship with the people he loves. 

 

Laal Singh Chaddha is helmed rich production values, mega budgets and a talented technical team. It also has the perfect casting and fantastic performance, not just from Aamir¸ which makes you forget the real-life stars playing those roles. But there is definitely something which would always keep a distance between the characters and us the audience. We can only touch them for a few moments which are extremely effective and make our hearts melt. 

 

Should we get satisfied that it melted our hearts? Or should we crave for more as those glimpses were barely handful? It’s a question that Aamir as the backbone of the film, could ruminate on, as he did no mistake, but still, the movie mostly falls short.