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‘Forrest Gump’ is a classic American film that has been loved by generations of people around the world. Tom Hanks, arguably one of Hollywood’s most admired actors, stars as a man who sits at a bus stop telling his life story to anyone who will listen when they wait for their bus to arrive. Though considered a man who is not like everyone else, Forrest Gump lives an incredible life. Now, twenty-five years later, this film is getting a Bollywood remake!
Not being very familiar with Bollywood films, it does make me have to stop and think on how this could impact the story and the film’s overall theme and perception. Even with that being said, the film’s overall story can be told in any setting, with any kind of changes made because as long as the integrity is kept in tack, a new spin can only amplify the message for a new generation of people, especially on a global scale. According to Lucille Bion (konbini.com), this new Bollywood remake will feature a familiar actor and director so fans will be drawn to this new adaptation. She writes that the film will be “directed by Advait Chandan, already known for his his movie Secret Superstar”and will “…reunite with Indian superstar Aamir Khan…who will take over Tom Hanks’ role’ (Bion). I believe this actor and director reuniting for the remake of the film will be key to the success in theaters and into the future because chemistry between actors and directors in multiple films makes for a consistent and pleasurable experience for the audience. People are drawn to actor and director movies because they come to rely on their chemistry and that the film will be made in a certain style that is appealing to them.
I have seen ‘Forrest Gump’ many times and is one of my favorite films because Forrest Gump is a sweet, though not always aware of how the other characters perceive him, man who has experienced going to war in Vietnam, meeting two Presidents, running across America just because he felt like it, and falling in love with a girl who did not always make the best decisions with her life but he loved her anyway. This film shows that being different is nothing that is to be feared or made fun of and that everyone deserves to find their own Jenny or Forrest, no matter what the circumstances. I believe this new remake can be just as fulfilling and heartwarming as the original as long as the director keeps the spirit of the film in mind while still making it his own. Though I am always a bit apprehensive of remakes, I always give them a chance and this will be no exception, should it hit theaters in the U.S. at any point. I want to see Forrest and Bubba have that same chemistry of instant friends, even if its not on a shrimping boat. I want to see Lieutenant Dan curse Forrest for saving him instead of leaving him to die because he cannot possibly think to live without his legs and then thank him for saving him all those years later. And I want to see Jenny and Forrest’s love story unfold with all of the same highs and lows, applauding when they are finally together and grabbing my tissues when Jenny’s time on Earth has expired. All of the emotions, from laughter to tears, have to stay in tact for this new film to have the same iconic feel that could be eventually written about if another remake is made sometime in the future. So to Advait Chandan and Aamir Khan I say good luck, I look forward to seeing this on the big screen soon, and “Run Forrest Run!”
Resources:
Bion, Lucille. A ‘Forrest Gump’ Remake Is In The Works In Bollywood. March 18, 2019, p. 1. Retrieved from https://www.konbini.com/en/cinema/a-forrest-gump-remake-is-in-the-works-in-bollywood
Giphy. forrest gump hello GIF. March 19, 2019. Retrieved from https://giphy.com/gifs/hello-hi-wave-xT9IgG50Fb7Mi0prBC
Griffin, J.M. Free alabama bridge Stock Photo. May 1, 2005. Retrieved from https://www.freeimages.com/photo/alabama-bridge-1533915
