Not Mahabharata, Aamir Khan to star in Forrest Gump remake

Even as there is news that Aamir Khan's ambitious Mahabharata project may have been shelved, there is fresh buzz that the Bollywood superstar will star in the remake of Hollywood film Forrest Gump (1994), reprising Tom Hank's title role. The film had won six Academy Awards.

The rumours of the Forrest Gump remake in Bollywood have been doing the rounds since the middle of 2018, even before Aamir Khan's last film Thugs of Hindostan released. Now, it has been confirmed by Filmfare that Aamir Khan has signed a deal with Paramount Pictures for the Oscar Award-winning movie's rights.

The actor may make an official announcement about the film soon, maybe ahead of his birthday on March 14.

Forrest Gump is based on Winston Groom's 1986 novel of the same name. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Director, Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

After the debacle of Thugs of Hindostan that released in Diwali 2018, Aamir Khan needs a good, solid project to make waves at the box office again. Revisiting the 1994 film already seen by many Indians may or may not be a good idea.

But one remembers Aamir Khan being compared to Tom Hanks in the nineties, both for his boyish looks and his choice of roles and acting style, as also his sensitive image.

It would be interesting to see what Aamir Khan brings to the table with the Forrest Gump remake and whether the story will be in an Indian setting. The industry is also awaiting more news on the Mahabharata series that he was wishing to make on a grand scale.