Laal Singh Chaddha (लाल सिंह चड्ढा)

No, thanks.

My mom used to say,

"Life is like golgappas.

Your tummy may be full, but your heart always craves more."

Greetings.

Myself Laal. Laal Singh Chaddha.

Your shoes are so nice!

So clean!

I can almost see myself in them.

My mom used to say, "Shoes are like an identity card.

Judge a man by his shoes, not his face."

They're old, aren't they?

The thing is…

I love them.

You know I've worn many shoes in life…

but I still remember my first pair.

My mom used to say they were magic shoes.

Okay, Laal.

Ready?

These are magic shoes, Laal.

Laal…

-try walking. -Careful.

-Come on. -Very good.

Go.

Slowly.

There you go. Happy?

I told you his legs are just fine.

It's his mind that has the problem.

Laal!

My name wasn't always Laal.

Laal was my grandpa's name.

The year I was born, my grandpa went to Pakistan…

to fight a war.

But he never returned.

My great-grandpa… didn't return from World War II.

And my great-great-grandpa… didn't return from World War I.

All three of them were called Laal.

Mom was very proud of all three of them.

So, she named me Laal too.

Looking handsome, Laal!

Here you go, ma'am.

The government is offering big discounts on pesticides.

Use this, it'll double your harvest.

This is Sumati Nandan reading the afternoon news.

The Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi,

has announced an end to the national emergency.

Finally, the emergency has ended. Thank God.

Laal, hold this.

-Come. -Let me help you.

Hey, mind your business. He's capable. He'll do it.

Listen, Laal. There's nothing that you can't do.

You don't need anyone's help.

If God wanted to make everyone the same,

he would not have created so many people, right?

My mom used to explain everything really well.

She was very smart.

She managed the entire farm by herself.

We lived in Karoli… about ten kilometers from Pathankot.

We stayed in my mom's family home.

My grandpa, my great-grandpa, or my great-great-grandpa…

one of them built it.

Phuphi!

Come.

Laal, always remember…

you're absolutely fine. You're just like the other kids.

You're no different.

Your child is different.

Look, ma'am.

Some children are very intelligent.

Some are normal,

and some are below normal.

Like your Laal.

We cannot enroll him in our school.

Put him in a school for dimwits.

My son is not a dimwit.

He understands everything. It just takes him a little longer.

He should be given the same opportunities as other kids.

Look, you already hounded me in school.

Now, you have come to my house on a Sunday!

I have to go to church. My maid hasn't come in days.

My cook has eloped.

I'm doing the dishes myself!

You know how difficult it is to get home help, right?

Please leave, and don't come back.

Not even to school.

Wait here.

I'll come and cook for you every day.

I'll clean your house and even do the dishes.

What does the child's father do?

He lives abroad.

You seem to be affluent. Will you really do my dishes,

cook, and clean?

Yes. For as long as my Laal is in your school.

You don't give up, do you? Here.

Your mother wants the best for you.

Make sure you study hard.

My first day of school…

was the scariest day of my life…

and the best.

Look, Laal.

You have to work really hard.

You have to do better than your best.

Shall I go?

Don't go.

Please.

Hey, come on. I'll come to get you in the evening.

Please don't leave, Mom.

Just for today.

All right.

I'll wait here.

Once your school is over, come here.

Off you go.

My friend sits here.

Not here! Move along!

It's so strange.

We just can't seem to control our memories.

I don't remember the moment I was born.

I don't remember my first Diwali…

or the first paratha I ate.

But…

I clearly remember the moment I heard

the sweetest voice…

in the whole wide world.

You can sit here.

Such a pretty face!

I had never seen anything so beautiful.

What are you staring at? Sit down.

What's up with your legs?

Nothing. I'm perfectly fine.

Where do you stay?

At home.

Are you dumb?

No. I'm perfectly fine.

Her laughter warmed my heart.

What's your name?

Myself Laal. Laal Singh Chaddha.

Myself Rupa. Rupa D'Souza.

From that moment, we became friends.

Rupa lived in Karoli too.

Other than my mom, no one spoke to me so much.

Rupa and I always used to be together.

Like carrots and peas.

Ever since I saw you

I can't stop looking at you

I just can't seem to get enough

What should I do?

I love chatting with you

I stay up thinking of you

I think I'm going nuts

What should I do?

Life stops when you are not around

And when you're around I can't take my eyes off you

You are my most favorite person

In the whole wide world

That's how much I love you

What should I do?

Rupa was an amazing magician.

She could pluck a plane out of the sky and stuff it in her pocket.

She taught me to climb trees,

and I taught her to hang from them.

She taught me to read English,

and I taught her to catch flies.

Life stops when you are not around

And when you're around I can't take my eyes off you

You are my most favorite person

In the whole wide world

That's how much I love you

What should I do?

Sometimes, we'd just sit on our tree silently…

waiting for the stars.

Shall we go home?

It's getting dark.

Wait just a little longer, please.

Okay.

I don't know why, but Rupa never liked going back home.

My mom bought the first TV in our village.

The whole village came over to watch the TV.

Rupa…

will you marry me?

India won the World Cup!

India won!

She was my best friend.

My only friend.

Rupa.

Rupa.

My aunt's name was also Rupa.

My aunt's name is Manjeet.

She used to live in Amritsar.

We often visited her.

Once, when we reached Amritsar station,

I saw lots of soldiers there.

Greetings.

Oh, God!

God, help us.

Mom.

Laal…

come with me.

That night, the lights went out…

and didn't come back for the next four-five days.

Over the next few days, many explosions happened.