Turkish envoy Firat Sunel: Aamir Khan my favourite, watched 'Laal Singh Chaddha' 4 times

Ambassador of Turkiye to India Firat Sunel is a fan of Bollywood movies, especially the Aamir Khan-starrer "Laal Singh Chaddha", a film the diplomat says he has watched at least four times.

"Laal Singh Chaddha", which was an authorised remake of the Hollywood classic "Forrest Gump", was "more successful" than the 1994 original movie starring Tom Hanks, according to Sunel.

The 2022 film received mixed to negative reviews amid boycott calls on social media, something which appeared to have had an impact on its box office business.

The diplomat said "Laal Singh Chaddha", which was also shot in Turkiye, made him realise about the many similarities between Indian and Turkish culture.

To explain his point, Sunel talked about the opening scene of the movie where the titular hero, played by Khan, travelling in a train is seen offering golgappas to fellow passengers before having it himself.

Also a bestselling author, Sunel views adaptations as "risky" business because it comes with a fair share of challenges for the creator who wants to ensure nothing is lost in translation, he said.

That's why the 58-year-old diplomat said he wasn't "100 per cent" satisfied with the Turkish TV series "The Great Exile Caucasia", which was inspired by his novel "In the Shade of the Weeping Willows" (Turkish title Salkim Sogutlerin Golgesinde").

Even then, Sunel said he wants "The Lighthouse Family", the recently released English translation of his Turkish novel "Sarpincik Feneri", to be adapted into a movie.

"'The Lighthouse Family' could be an adaptation even in India. The book relates to Indian families as well. They would like it, this would make for an emotional movie.