Junaid Khan would have been better choice than dad Aamir Khan in Laal Singh Chaddha, says cousin Mansoor Khan | Bollywood-OxBig News Network

Aamir’s 2022 film Lal Singh Chaddha, an official remake of Hollywood classic Forrest Gump, had tanked at the box office. The superstar took the blame its poor performance stating that he couldn’t do justice to the younger version of the character in the film. In an interview with Screen, Mansoor said that the actor had overdone the mannerisms which were not needed in the film.

‘You’ve overdone the mannerisms’

Mansoor said, “I’d say he pitched the elder performance totally wrong (laughs). Usne younger bola? Matlab ab tak nahi samjha (Did he say younger? Means he hasn’t gotten it yet). Arre I saw the first trial and I told Aamir, ‘What are you doing!’ Aamir has this format that he’ll call close people for a screening and then will ask what we think. Unfortunately, he always picks me first. I said, ‘You’ve overdone the mannerisms. You don’t need it. Unfortunately, it’s close to his mannerisms in PK.’ Aamir has recognised that.”

He mentioned that while most people host success parties after a film’s release, Aamir chose to have one for its failure and took full responsibility for it. He felt that the screenplay was well adapted from Forrest Gump but believed that a particular aspect of the film affected its overall impact. Curious about the source of Aamir’s mannerisms in the movie, he asked if the director, Advait Chandan, had suggested them. He noted that if he had been directing, he would have never allowed it. Aamir clarified that it wasn’t Advait’s idea. According to him, this single factor took away the essence of the film, making each scene feel disconnected.

It was stated that actor’s son Junaid was being considered to play the character. The director in an interview with Screen disclosed that he saw Junaid’s screen test and was convinced that his innocence would have pulled in the audiences.

Junaid’s screen test was brilliant

“Aamir had asked me why don’t I come and see Junaid’s screen test. I thought Junaid did a brilliant job. You might say he’s only 28 years old. There was a certain innocence that even the best actors can’t craft. If my heart goes out to you, then it doesn’t matter how great of an actor you are. When they asked me, I said Junaid should be in the film. So, the Sony folks (producers) were taken aback, for obvious reasons. Even the director. And I’d not take Kareena (Kapoor) then. What is this fear of market mein opening nahi lagegi? Kya bakwas hai (no opening in market? What rubbish!),” Mansoor added.

About Mansoor Khan

Mansoor had famously quit direction after his last venture Josh that starred Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in 2000 and moved to Coonoor to start a cheese farm. He recently came out of his hibernation at the Red Lorry Festival in Mumbai which celebrated his 1992 superhit film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. Mansoor has written two books, The Third Curve and One:The Story of Ultimate Myth.