13 Aamir Khan Popular Movies That Were Remakes: From Laal Singh Chaddha to Ghajini
Aamir Khan, often regarded as “Mr. Perfectionist” in the Indian film industry, has been part of numerous iconic movies that have entertained audiences worldwide. Among his diverse filmography, several movies stand out as remakes or inspirations from international films.
One of the most notable examples is his recent film, Laal Singh Chaddha, an official Hindi remake of the Hollywood classic Forrest Gump. However, this is not the first time Aamir Khan has ventured into remakes. His career is dotted with films that have drawn inspiration from global cinema, showcasing his versatility and ability to adapt complex stories for the Indian audience.
Some of Aamir Khan’s most memorable roles have been in films that were remakes or heavily influenced by international movies. For instance, Ghajini (2008) was inspired by Christopher Nolan’s Memento, while Mann (1999) took cues from the 1957 Hollywood film An Affair To Remember.
Additionally, Ghulam (1998) was a remake of Kabzaa, which itself was inspired by the classic On the Waterfront. Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993) was influenced by House Boat. These films not only demonstrate Aamir Khan’s willingness to experiment with different genres but also highlight his ability to make remakes resonate with Indian viewers. This article will delve into some of Aamir Khan’s popular movies that were remake, inspired, or copied, exploring how these films contributed to his enduring legacy in Bollywood.
Jawani Zindabad (1990)
Jawani Zindabad directed by Arun Bhatt, starring Aamir Khan and Farha Naaz in the lead role. It was a remake of the Kannada film Avale Nanna Hendthi (1988) directed by S. Umesh and K.
Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991)
90’s rom-com film ‘Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin’ plot was inspired by the 1934 Hollywood film It Happened One Night starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert.
The film was directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The film starred Bhatt’s daughter Pooja Bhatt in her first major lead female role, with Aamir Khan starring as her love interest. Supporting roles were played by Anupam Kher, Sameer Chitre, and Tiku Talsania, while Deepak Tijori made a special appearance.
Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992)
Aamir Khan’s most loved film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’s storyline has similarities to the 1979 American film Breaking Away and is reportedly inspired by it. However, Mansoor Khan stated that he only became aware of Breaking Away after the likeness was brought to his attention, sometime after the release of Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. Both films have several similarities, including friendship, class barriers, bicycle racing, and parental relationships, but otherwise have different narratives, characters, motivations, treatment, and racing rules.
The film was directed and co-written by Mansoor Khan and produced and co-written by Nasir Hussain. It also stars Ayesha Jhulka, Deepak Tijori, Pooja Bedi, Mamik Singh, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda.
Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993)
Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke’ is inspired by the 1958 Hollywood film, ‘House Boat’. The film stars Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla in lead roles, with Sharokh Bharucha and Kunal Khemu as a child actor. Aamir also reportedly co-wrote the screenplay of the movie with the director.
Screenplay written by Aamir Khan and Robin Bhatt. Upon release, the film received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise directed towards Chawla’s performance, for which she won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress at the 39th Filmfare Awards. The film has also garnered the National Film Award – Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film), and the Filmfare Award for Best Film.
Baazi (1995)
It’s an action thriller film directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar and starring Aamir Khan and Mamta Kulkarni that took inspiration from the 1988 cult hit Die Hard as well as Point Break and Rambo.
The film also starred Paresh Rawal, Ashish Vidyarthi and Mukesh Rishi. It has gained cult following along the years and has often been cited as one of the best coming-of-age movies in Indian cinema.
Aatank Hi Aatank (1995)
Aatank Hi Aatank is an action crime film written, edited and directed by Dilip Shankar. The film is highly inspired by The Godfather (1992) where Aamir Khan played the character inspired by Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone. It also starred Rajinikanth, Juhi Chawla and Archana Joglekar in a prominent role.
Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995)
Directed by Mansoor Khan ‘Akele Hum Akele Tum’ was an unofficial remake of the 1979 Academy Award-winning film Kramer vs Kramer.
It starred Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala in the lead role. It’s a Khan and Koirala’s first collebration and both performances were acclaimed; the latter also received a nomination in the Best Actress category at the 41st Filmfare Awards.
Ghulam (1998)
Vikram Bhatt’s Ghulam shares a striking resemblance to Kabzaa (1988), the first production by Vishesh Films. Kabzaa, written by Salim Khan and directed by Mahesh Bhatt, featured a star-studded cast including Dimple Kapadia, Raj Babbar, Sanjay Dutt, Amrita Singh, and Paresh Rawal.
Interestingly, Kabzaa itself drew inspiration from Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront (1954), which was based on Malcolm Johnson’s investigative series Crime on the Waterfront, published in the New York Sun in late 1948.
Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji headlined Ghulam, which emerged as a commercial success. The film was later remade in Tamil as Sudhandhiram in 2000.
Mann (1999)
Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala starrer romantic drama film ‘Mann’ was heavily inspired by the 1957 Hollywood film, ‘An Affair To Remember’ directed by Leo McCarey and starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. However, it was improvised with a climax scene different from the original movie. While the original movie ended vaguely, ‘Mann’ gave a lot more backstory to the characters.
The film was written and directed by Indra Kumar. It also features Anil Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore, and Neeraj Vora with Rani Mukerji in a special appearance. This is the second collaboration between Khan and Koirala since Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995).
Ghajini (2008)
It is a remake of the Tamil film, Ghajini (2005) co-written and directed by A. R. Murugadoss, who also directed the Hindi version. Aamir Khan was initially hesitant to do the film, but was convinced by Suriya, the original star of the Tamil Ghajini, who told him he was “the only one who could do justice to the character.” Suriya was a fan of Khan, and had some involvement in the film’s development, discussing minute details with Khan for two years during the film’s development.
The original film’s plot was also inspired from Memento and Happy Go Lovely. Khan and Murugadoss co-wrote the remake, with Khan suggesting changes to suit the taste of the Hindi cinema audience. Priyanka Chopra was offered the role of Kalpana, but was later replaced by Asin, who reprised her role from the original Tamil film.
The CGI opening brain sequence was inspired by the 1999 film Fight Club by David Fincher. This sequence was also used in the Tamil version of the film.
Dhoom 3 (2013)
Dhoom 3 is the third installment of the Dhoom series, which stars Aamir Khan as the anti-hero with Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra reprising their roles as protagonists while Jackie Shroff and Katrina Kaif play supporting roles.
The film reportedly took inspiration from Christopher Nolan’s 2006 film, ‘The Prestige’ and 2008 ‘The Dark Knight‘. Heist action thriller film written & directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya and produced by Aditya Chopra, who co-wrote the story.
Laal Singh Chaddha (2022)
It is a remake of the 1994 American film Forrest Gump, which itself is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Advait Chandan and written by Atul Kulkarni. It stars Aamir Khan as the title character alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan, Naga Chaitanya and Mona Singh.
The adaptation of Forrest Gump underwent a series of changes over a period of two decades, with Kulkarni spending the first ten years adapting the script, and another ten years purchasing the remake rights. Aamir Khan bought the rights to the film in early 2018 with the help of Los Angeles-based producer and director Radhika Chaudhari and announced the film officially on 14 March 2019, with its title.
Sitaare Zameen Par (2025)
Sitaare Zameen Par is a sports drama film directed by R. S. Prasanna, and produced by Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao. A sequel to Khan’s 2007 film Taare Zameen Par, it is a remake of the Spanish film Champions (2018). It stars Khan and Genelia Deshmukh, which also marks their first collaboration.
The original Spanish film Champions (2018) was inspired by the Aderes basketball team in Burjassot (in the province of Valencia), created for with people with intellectual disabilities, that won twelve Spanish championships between 1999 and 2014; and the true story of American basketball coach Ron Jones.
