Don’t watch Laal Singh Chaddha…

Should you watch Laal Singh Chaddha?

My suggestion is: NO!

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Not if you think you are supremely intelligent.

Not if you think you are smart.

Not if you think you have figured out the world.

Not if you think you have figured out your place in the world, your purpose and destiny.

Not if you are caught unawares or purposely in the bipolar world of right and wrong.

Not if religious and political ideology is more important than the idea of humanity.

Not if being right is more important than being wise and compassionate.

Not if you hate Aamir Khan for whatever reasons including intellectual, ideological, religious and political because of the questions he has taken the risk to ask of us and ask for us.

Not if you think that as a failure at the family level he shouldn’t do anything else.

Not if you don’t like crying happy tears.

Not if you think only the weak sissies cry.

Not if your self-worth, self-importance and self-esteem depend on pulling other people down even though there maybe many reasons to appreciate their honest intent and worthwhile effort.

Not if you only like to see what’s broken and wrong and not practice appreciative inquiry to see what is right.

Not if you believe in arguing to prove who is wrong than exploring through dialogue what is better.

Not if you think that might is right.

Not if you are biased and prejudiced and have closed your mind and heart due to the fear of being proven wrong.

Not if you believe in the misplaced logic advanced by a lady named Anu Lall that while the US army took in people with lesser IQs as part of Robert McNamara’s belief of getting whoever one could find to feed the war machine in Vietnam whereas the Indian army would never hire people with lesser IQs or Autists while conveniently ignoring the fact that even in a movie like Border the creators conveniently killed off the character played by Puneet Issar for dramatic effect even though the real life person was still alive when the movie released in 1997. Also, there are some clear cut roles even people with Autism can play even in the army: any repetitive, algorithmic task like taking out and putting back a rifle.

Not if you find it easier to judge and hate than take the courageous path of open mindedness.

Not if you have a fixed mindset as opposed to a growth mindset.

Not if you think that Aamir is repetitive in this one also with his looks and acting like he was in Dhoom 3 and PK without realising how some of the people like his character are actually like. I know of one person who would often intersperse his speech and replies with a short and sweet “Hmm” sound. And yet if you look at his career and where he has reached today in life and the number of lives he has touched positively is amazing.

Not if your intent is not to first understand and then seek to be understood.

Not if you prefer to go with the dominant view and prefer to be a prosumer of propaganda than facts.

And certainly not if you are just a linear thinker or your soul is parched dry.

For everyone else, go and watch it.

What a beautiful movie!!!!

I love crying when I experience something beautiful, heart touching and soul uplifting.

And my opinion remains the same as it was that December afternoon in 1995 outside the erstwhile iconic Chanakya theatre in Delhi when I came out after watching the original Forrest Gump: I wish I was born less than normal unlike the regular neuro-typical people. That way, at least I would not be able to hate other human beings.

And what a performance from Aamir Khan.

For me the most defining performance is in the last but one scene where he is speaking at his beloved Rupa’s grave. And unlike Tom Hanks’ teared up performance that makes you cry in the original, what an understated performance from Aamir that still makes you cry in the remake.

And if you ask me about the best kept secret in the movie for fans of the original who were wondering if it would be a scene by scene remake of the original: it’s the twist in Lt. Dan’s role played in the current one by Manoj Vij. What a performance?!! His best till date compared to the ones in Naam Shabana and Andhadhun.

Hats off Atul Kulkarni and team.

No wonder that Paramount Pictures now wants to release the movie in the US.

Day before yesterday I caught the glimpse of the title of the review in Hindustan Times which said that it was blind copy of the original. But when you see the movie even if you have watched the original just once, it becomes clear that cataract is still the third biggest cause of blindness in the world. The first two are caused by the prejudice from religion and politics.

And today after watching the movie I was also reminded of the pathetic picture the so called self-styled movie critics had painted of Fukrey Returns a few years ago. Having read the reviews after having watched the movie it became obvious of the malicious tarnishing campaign that was unleashed against that movie. I wondered if it was merely a coincidence given the glowing reviews that were written about Tiger Zinda Hai that also released at the same time.

No wonder Dan Ariely chose to give the following title for his book on human beings: Predictably Irrational!!

In my humble opinion, it’s a must watch movie for anyone who wants to have a glimpse of Indian history between 1977 - 2014.

It must be shown in schools and old age homes as well.

My only disappointment with Laal Singh Chaddha?

I so wish that the person who joined Laal’s wedding online from Pakistan had actually made it to the wedding in person along with all the other people along with him online.

It would have been a terrific goose bumps raising scene that would have made at least “idiots” like me cry, stand up and clap happily.

Now I won’t reveal who was the character who attended Laal’s wedding from Pakistan.

Go watch the movie to find out.

There is one more thing I need to mention besides the superb casting.

I used to hate Kareena Kapoor when she started in 2000 but today I say that irrespective of how others choose to see her performance, in my view it’s her best so far. I can’t now imagine or see anyone else in Rupa’s role than her. And what a chemistry she has with Aamir in her outing with him after 3 Idiots and Talash.

The best acting is when you forget that people are acting. Her understated performance is the best one so far. It looked like Rupa and Laal were real people and not stars who were trying to act.

For those who read my first post on this subject when the trailer came out a few months back, the two things I couldn’t do were to watch the first day first show and whistle with my two fingers inside my mouth even though I had succeeded in my early attempts at trying to learn that.

I didn’t need to do that. My heart told me to quietly sit back and allow the movie to wash over me.

And in the moment when you see Laal tie his Sikh turban is when I knew that I had to come back and see the movie a few more times with some of my specific friends.

And of course the Kahani song is going to become the 10th song that defines me as a person.

😌😌🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Sohum.

PS: A few weeks ago the CEO of a company who reads me very well asked me about the last Hindi movie I watched without crying when I told him about my experience of watching Shoojit Sircar’s October a few years ago.

Well I prefer being authentic than putting up a facade.

So I am going to message him that I cried once more.