Gippy Garewal’s son was asked to cut hair for Laal Singh Chaddha role, singer refused: ‘It was not possible’

Singer-actor Gippy Grewal has revealed that the team of Laal Singh Chaddha wanted his son Gurfateh to essay the role of young Aamir Khan. In a new interview, Gippy added that casting director Mukesh Chhabra asked him to send a few ‘reference videos’ of Gurfateh, also called Shinda. However, things didn’t work out as ‘an angle in the film’ needed Gurfateh to cut his hair. (Also Read | Ira Khan promotes dad Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha)

In Laal Singh Chaddha, Ahmad Ibn Umar plays young Aamir Khan. Helmed by Advait Chandan, Laal Singh Chaddha is an official Hindi adaptation of the Academy Award-winning 1994 film Forrest Gump, which had Tom Hanks in the lead role. It is scheduled to release on August 11. Apart from Aamir, Kareena Kapoor, Mona Singh and Naga Chaitanya are also a part of the film.

In an interview with News18, Gippy said, “Shinda played a small part in one of my films Ardaas (2016). The makers of Laal Singh Chaddha saw that and they approached me as they wanted him to play the young version of Aamir Khan in the film. Mukesh (Chhabra, casting director) also got in touch with me and told me to send across a few reference videos of Shinda saying ‘hello’ in Punjabi, which would also be a look test for him. I wasn’t even aware of the story of the film at that point in time.”

He also added, “There was an angle in the film where he had to get his hair cut. But we weren’t okay with it. In fact, it was not possible for us. That’s why he couldn’t do the film.”

Earlier this year, speaking with Rising Kashmir, Ahmad Ibn Umar said, “One day, my local casting coordinators informed that actor Aamir Khan is looking for a new face for his childhood role in upcoming movie Laal Singh Chaddha. I appeared through e-audition and was selected by the team. It was the best movement of my life so far. I had to go through several training sessions, workshops, interviews with Aamir Khan and his entire team including directors, producers. It continued for some time and till I acted as a young Sikh boy, who is specially-abled in the movie.”