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Hindu hardliners call for boycott of Aamir Khan’s Forrest Gump remake Laal Singh Chaddha

Hindu hardliners call for boycott of Aamir Khan’s Forrest Gump remake Laal Singh Chaddha

The internet is awash with clips from Khan's 2015 interview and as a result, BJP supporters want to boycott the film.
06 Aug, 2022

According to Forrest Gump, life is like a box of chocolates because “you never know what you’re going to get”. Now, an Indian remake of the movie has been hit by boycott calls over years-old comments by Aamir Khan. It is the latest example of how Bollywood actors, particularly Muslims like Khan, are feeling increased pressure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Indian movie, Laal Singh Chaddha, a spin on the 1994 Hollywood hit with Tom Hanks, is expected to be one of India’s biggest films this year.

This is due in large part to its main star, 57-year-old Khan, one of the Indian industry’s most bankable actors with past blockbusters like Three Idiots (2009) and Dangal (2016).

But ahead of the Aug 11 release, the internet is awash with clips from a 2015 interview when Khan expressed a growing “sense of fear” and that he and his then-wife discussed leaving India.

“She fears for her child. She fears about what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day,” he said.

More than 200,000 tweets, many from supporters of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have been shared since last month calling for people to spurn the movie with the hashtag #BoycottLaalSinghChaddha.

“Aamir Khan married two Hindu Women, yet named his kids Junaid, Azad & Ira. (Hindu co-star) Kareena (Kapoor) married a Muslim & promptly named her kids Taimur & Jehangir,” said one tweet, referring to the children’s typical Muslim names.

“That’s enough reasons to boycott Lal Singh Chaddha, basically a production from Bollywood’s Love Jihad club. #BoycottLaalSinghChaddha,” it added, using a derogatory term coined by Hindu extremists who accuse Muslim men of marrying Hindu women and forcing them to convert.

Patriotism

Nicknamed “Mr Perfectionist”, Khan has been credited with pushing films beyond Bollywood’s traditional fare of song and dance into social and cultural issues.

He also hosted a TV chat show — Satyamev Jayate — that discussed touchy themes like rape, domestic violence and corruption.

The furore over his new film — which adapts the famous line by Hanks to say that “life is like a golgappa” — is such that this week Khan stressed his patriotism, a key tenet of the Modi government.

“I feel sad that some of the people… believe that I am someone who doesn’t like India,” he told local media.

“That’s not the case. Please don’t boycott my film. Please watch my film.”

Intolerance

Films have long sparked controversy — as well as violence — in India.

But the heat being felt by Khan, one of a clutch of Muslim megastars in the industry along with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, mirrors growing intolerance, marginalisation and vilification of the community, commentators say.

“There is no doubt that Aamir is being targeted by those spreading hatred towards Muslims,” one commentator said.

Hindu hegemony

Modi’s BJP owes its origins to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a militaristic group espousing Hindutva, or making India an exclusively Hindu state.

Lynching of Muslims by Hindu mobs over so-called cow protection and other hate crimes have sown fear in the 200- million-strong Muslim population.

Social media is full of misinformation claiming that Muslims will soon outnumber Hindus — due to inter-religious marriages — or that the minority is a treasonous fifth column backed by Pakistan.

Gung-ho

Critics say that the world’s most prolific film industry and its stars have been gradually changing their output to fit the government narrative since Modi came to power in 2014.

In 2019, the hagiographic “PM Narendra Modi” was too much even for the election watchdog, which delayed its release until after a vote that year.

There has been a recent string of military-themed movies that have been nationalistic, all-guns-blazing stories of heroics by soldiers and police — usually Hindus — against enemies outside and within India.

Comments

time_travel Aug 06, 2022 11:16am
Release the movie in Pakistan
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Prakash Aug 06, 2022 11:25am
The reality is Hindus are awakening and have become aware of the centuries of injustice done to them though this entire continent was Hindu.
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John Aug 06, 2022 11:26am
Modi crowd has no taken Bollywood hostage! What a shame!
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Gamer Aug 06, 2022 11:38am
As you sow, so you reap, well done
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Imran khan (Mardan) KPK Aug 06, 2022 11:52am
Despicable cowards Hindu fanatics only knows how to be brave in their own street.
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Ahmad Aug 06, 2022 12:02pm
Hardline Hindus showing the dirty level of their mentality. But it’s pity to see even educated Indians either supporting these nut jobs or being silent.
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Ifti Malik Aug 06, 2022 12:03pm
Modi's India going rapidly to the dogs, at all levels. It's only a matter of time before it implodes from within.
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Ather Malik Aug 06, 2022 12:04pm
Big country ruled by tiny mentality.
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Nagaraja Aug 06, 2022 12:29pm
@Ather Malik You are absolutely right. Frog in well.
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Citizen Aug 06, 2022 12:36pm
Hindus in India should watch movie to give impression that Khan is their's and they are Khan's
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Joe Aug 06, 2022 12:43pm
He is worried about out safety of his family in India being a Muslim now ,having earned millions and married twice to Hindu women.
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Mukesh Devrari Aug 06, 2022 12:48pm
@time_travel but Pakistan doesn't allow Indian films to be released there. And Pakistan has only 161 screens, cost of making laal Singh chadda is 300 crores, almost 750 crore in Pakistani rupees. Pakistani market offer nothing in terms of money.
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YODA Aug 06, 2022 01:00pm
If he is that concerned, he is free to immigrate to country of his choice.
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Jayakumar Aug 06, 2022 01:04pm
@Ahmad the same hindus make him a star!! When he is wrong we will bring him down!
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Harfanmaula Aug 06, 2022 01:41pm
Muslims in India have created boundaries around their own self. Apart from shia and sunni muslims, they live and settle down within those ghettos like Bengali muslim, kashmiri muslim, Tamil muslim, Gujrati Muslims and even Afghan Muslims. Outsider are not allowed inside their territories. It is the way common Muslims live in separate colonies in and around major cities in India. Most of them work as tailors, barbers and mechanics. These big actors never trust any muslim from outside circle. All their cooks, drivers and security guards are Hindus.
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Johnw Aug 06, 2022 01:50pm
If it's a remake,there is nothing to watch. Everyone still remembers Tom Hank's performance. Amir Khan is little rat in comparison.
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Hamed Aug 06, 2022 01:55pm
@YODA that doesn't give you and your types the wright to murder non Hindus.
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TPA Aug 06, 2022 02:01pm
He is a total waste of time and money.
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Asad Aug 06, 2022 02:23pm
As a Pakistani, i can tell you religious fanaticism gets you nowhere. India's decline starts as nation. Watch this space.
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Vasil Shaikh Aug 06, 2022 02:33pm
@YODA 'great response not that was'....as Yoda would say
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TK Aug 06, 2022 02:54pm
@Prakash , what a load of nonsense, if you want justice approach the British!
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Armagan Aug 06, 2022 03:05pm
@Prakash what was this continent before it was hindu? Time did not start with the hindu religion, nor with any other ideology.
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Rohit Aug 06, 2022 03:05pm
Amir is a yesteryear spent force. He has zero connect with the gen y of today. His self curated image of being an idealistic righteous person has been busted. His films will not work anymore.
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Armagan Aug 06, 2022 03:07pm
As a Pakistani, modi burning india may seem like a good idea to his followers. But they have not realised he's taking them back into the dark ages. Let him burn his own country, lets see the real face of these fascists revealed around the world.
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FAZ Aug 06, 2022 03:14pm
@Prakash So boycott all media and freedom of expressions?
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FAZ Aug 06, 2022 03:15pm
@Mukesh Devrari All that money for a copy cat?
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Jayakumar Aug 06, 2022 03:43pm
@Armagan india is doing good! Take care of your country!
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Constantine Aug 06, 2022 06:12pm
They’re just pointing out his hypocrisy.
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kadwa sach Aug 06, 2022 06:16pm
@Asad Yes, you are right. This has already happened in Pakistan which has no polity, no economy, no tolerance of minorities. In a bankrupt environment, how can you throw stones at others when you live in a very fragile and broken glass house. Got the message?
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Humza Aug 06, 2022 06:18pm
@time_travel We don't want Indian movies in Pakistan. We have our own culture and entertainment industry. Unless we support our own media, we have no right to complain about the quality of productions.
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Vijay B. Aug 06, 2022 07:23pm
@ Aamir Khan, like they say "watch what you say," it might come back to haunt you.
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myview Aug 06, 2022 07:28pm
@time_travel Better still, give Amir Khan Pakistan citizen
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Sunil Aug 06, 2022 08:07pm
They are just trying to highlight issue of love jihad. No better time than now since there is a lot of publicity around the film, which will do fine.
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MM USA Aug 06, 2022 09:02pm
India is moving in a wrong direction towards religious extremism. Pakistan has suffered hugely in past with same evil.
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Manpreet Singh Aug 06, 2022 09:53pm
We don't have a problem with Salman Khan. There is a reason why people's are boycotting Aamir Khan now. Not just hindus but everyone. Due to his relations with Turkey.
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Omveer Singh Aug 06, 2022 10:12pm
The Khan trio has made a Charlie out of Hindus far too long. You can't fool them till eternity. By the way, why didn't he title the movie on some muslim character?
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M. Emad Aug 06, 2022 10:39pm
@Prakash too bad so sad, move on
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Gandhi Aug 06, 2022 11:04pm
@Prakash Yes Hindus must wake up and realize the centuries long injustice done by your own cast system. Great narrative for continuing Hindu injustice on minorities while ur own lower casts struggle to even breathe the same air as your elites!!
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Syed Qutub Aug 06, 2022 11:17pm
Attendance at all dargahs in India have dropped dramatically since the Nupur Sharma episode. Hindu devotees have boycotted, causing huge drop in revenues to the trusts that have been raking in billions.
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SN Aug 06, 2022 11:18pm
Plz watch his movie PK..u will realise why he is hated so much... especially after that movie was released
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GreenAura Aug 06, 2022 11:22pm
Yes, Jinnah explained it very well. Muslims in India must work twice as hard as hindus to achieve a given outcome. They who remain incorrigible cannot be placated by the Bollywood Khans.
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GreenAura Aug 06, 2022 11:22pm
@Prakash Buddhists were here before Vedics. What did Asoka do to them?
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Rarache Aug 06, 2022 11:44pm
@Asad You are right. Religious fanaticism gets you nowhere. Pakistan is an example.
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Saeed Aug 06, 2022 11:46pm
@Prakash the word Hindu was coined by ancient Arabs to refer to people living on the east of river Hindu (Indus in English). Even the river is now in Pakistan.
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Cye Aug 06, 2022 11:58pm
Nothing is safe in today’s India run by Hindu terrorizing all other religions.
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HR Aug 07, 2022 12:19am
Pakistanis must not preach rather learn from India... Look at CWG tally for now if you don't believe.
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Usman A Aug 07, 2022 12:49am
@Prakash yeah ram prakash and people were also living in caves before that, what a nonsensical point. Believe me there are a lot of people who are glad they are not Hindu
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Indian from US Aug 07, 2022 01:33am
@Asad India is improving much faster than it's neighbors.
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Indian from US Aug 07, 2022 01:40am
Aamir, Sharukh, Salmana, Irfan and Saif Khans are loved by all Indians. Naseeruddin Shah, Nawajuddin Siddiqui, Dilip Saheb, Mohd. Rafi saab and many other artists are loved by Indians. Aamir was loved for his movies Lagaan, Taare Jameen Par, Mangal Pandey, Rang De Basanti and many others. I am an Indian Hindu and watched his movies on the first day. I may watch this movie also. His comments about India are really ugly and he should be boycotted for that. Anyhow he can settle in some other country if he wants to. He won't leave India because he knows it is his safe haven.
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J Aug 07, 2022 02:17am
What ever the stature Amir Khan has, is given by Indians. When he gets to certain state, now he feels he is not secure enough living in India? He never explained What made them not secure. He is not secure enough in India but still secure enough to make movies and profit in India? hypocrisy at best. We don’t want to scare Amir by coming any where near to him..be it a movies or outside. As far as we Indians are concerned, he is not there.
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Raheel Aug 07, 2022 02:56am
Hindus justifying mass murder and genocide based on false history taught in Mandirs of India. How long will western governments stay silent?
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Shekhar Aug 07, 2022 03:49am
Whether boycott or not, Bollywood has lost steam when compared to Tamil and Telugu film industry. Due to internet, Indians are getting exposure to regional superhits and are liking them. Bahubali and Pushpa took it to different levels. While Bollywood is busy with remakes and biopics.
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Ajaya K Dutt Aug 07, 2022 04:07am
@Ahmad : It is Only Humans who realize that they are hurting another Human being. What to do for those monsters, who had been hurling insults at Hindu sentiments for a long time? These monsters can only be taught to correct themselves not by accommodating them, but by shaking them with strict actions and words. It is only a start If no results come with this mild rebuke, then it Only results in escalation. I hope wisdom prevails, rather than a Chain reaction of Evil reaction to Evil Actions.
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Ajaya K Dutt Aug 07, 2022 04:08am
@Ifti Malik - So you think that "Modi's India going rapidly to the dogs, at all levels." Your ignorance is obvious. Stay Happy.
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Ajaya K Dutt Aug 07, 2022 04:15am
@Armagan: A Future where Hindus are also living without a threat and insults is a bright future. And we are progressing towards that.
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Ajaya K Dutt Aug 07, 2022 04:17am
@Asad Your perception of the future of India is absolutely wrong. Please wake up from your deep sleep. That shall be a good start for peace in the subcontinent.
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Ajaya K Dutt Aug 07, 2022 04:20am
@Armagan Hinduism, as some people call for Santan Dharam, is the Oldest spiritual practice in the world. And Hinduism is the most tolerant of All. You will not see a practice of so diverse thoughts in the same area with little interference from one another.
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Vijay B. Aug 07, 2022 04:53am
Back in 2016 when nothing was at stake, Aamir khan spoke his mind and I am glad he did. We got to know the real Aamir Khan and what is on his mind beside the facade. Now he is making a U=turn because if people do not watch his latest movie it will hurt him in the pocketbook. So it is all a question of money. Sab se bada rupiah. I am all for boycotting his movies. BTW Aamir Khan has now left that 2nd Hindu converted to Islam wife of his he appeared to be so concerned about in 2016.
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Alex Aug 07, 2022 06:32am
Thanks for free publicity Hindu hardliners !! Got my tickets
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Baiju as Aug 07, 2022 06:35am
@Prakash Hindus were generally peaceloving people,but advent of sometimes religions and their preference for the religious interests above national interest ihas slowly opened the eyes of Hindu
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Baiju as Aug 07, 2022 06:37am
@Ahmad as if educated Muslims corrects the fanatics among them
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Desi Aug 07, 2022 07:53am
The story of 59 pilgrims who were burnt alive outside Godhra train station, mostly women and little children were still to be told in Indian media especially the bhaiwood which is funded by anti-national criminals who also push hard drugs in India. It's high time Indian state bans the Bhaiwood. Since the "system (babudom & judiciary)" nurtured by wannabe foreign Congress leadership, is still controlled by anti-national the citizens are using boycott as effective weapon.
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Raja Parekh Aug 07, 2022 08:24am
Liberalism thoughts coming from Pakistanis! Okay, no problem. Start lecturing.
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El Cid Aug 07, 2022 08:37am
"“Aamir Khan married two Hindu Women, " Marrying Pagan women is prohibited in Islam. Read it in the Qur'an.
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El Cid Aug 07, 2022 08:43am
@Prakash No, not true. The subcontinent was Buddhist. The Hindoos slaughtered the Buddhists. The genocide was stopped by Muslims. BTW Hinduism is not a religion. This name was given by Muslims to an assortment of over 500 different pagan primitive idol worshiping tribes.
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