Laal Singh Chaddha: Amid Controversy, How Kashmiri Artists See Aamir Khan Film

Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha which faced boycotts and protests across the country is being welcomed by the Kashmiri artists.

AP

Several artists who spoke to Indiatimes called the film a ¡®must watch¡¯.

¡°I watched the film recently in Mumbai. It has a nice story and there is nothing controversial in it. I would suggest others too should watch it,¡± said Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan, a festival director and theatre artist.

Screening at film festival

¡°Last year, I met Aamir Khan in Srinagar when he was shooting for the film and he promised that will visit our festival. We wish to open our next edition of film festival that is likely to be held in October-November with the screening of Laal Singh Chaddha,¡± said Khan who organises Kashmir World Film Festival (KWFF), the only film festival taking place in Kashmir.

Mir Sarwar, Bollywood actor of Kashmiri origin said that the film has two Kashmiri child characters in the lead role.

AFP

¡°We should watch the film to appreciate their role as well. The cinematography of the film is said to be the best one and I am sure that locations like Kargil and Kashmir would have shown beautifully,¡± he said.

Hassan Javaid, a Kashmiri actor said that he was confused as to why people in India were boycotting the film.

¡°First of all, Aamir Khan is a professional actor, hardworking too as he comes up with one film in two or three years and also his films can be watched with the family as well,¡± he said.

¡®Everyone should watch it¡¯

Mushtaq Bala, 58, a Kashmiri filmmaker said that one should definitely watch this movie.

¡°There is no question about Aamir Khan as an actor but unfortunately this film has fallen into political controversy. Since there are reports of a multiplex cinema coming up in Srinagar, we wonder if the cinema hall could be inaugurated with this film only,¡± he said.

AFP

¡°Through this film, young and struggling actors of Kashmir would get to learn and make a clear vision about acting after watching their own artists on the screen,¡± said Imran Farooq, a Kashmiri actor who has worked in various Bollywood films and web series.

The major portion of the film was shot in Kargil and various locations of Srinagar in July and August last year.

Not doing well at box office

Directed by Advait Chandan, Lal Singh Chadda is the official remake of Hollywood film Forrrest Gump which featured Tom Hanks.

AFP

According to a Bollywood Hungama report, the feature earned a meager Rs 1.70 crore on Wednesday, witnessing a 19.05 per cent drop in its collection.

Its total collection is now Rs 49.7 crore after a six-day run at the box office, which means the film is yet to cross the Rs 50 crore mark after one week at the box office. Aamir¡¯s box office dud, Thugs of Hindostan, had earned Rs 52 crore from its opening day box office receipts alone.

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