TV serials to copy Bollywood blockbusters:

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Jamai Raja, Pardes, Daraar, Biwi No.1, Jab We Met, Vivaah, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Besides being Bollywood blockbusters, they have something else in common. All of these have been made or are on the verge of being made into daily soaps.

Sooraj Barjatya's Sapna Babul Ka Bidaai was based entirely on Vivaah, until the storyline was tweaked, Aditya Chopra's Shah Rukh Khan starrer Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi found a small screen version in Do Hanson Ka Joda starring Shaleen Bhanot and Shubhangi Atre. Love You Zindagi, Star Plus' weekend show was a televised version of Imtiaz Ali's Jab We Met.

Of course, this was also the first adaptation where the original filmmaker was consulted creatively. As Imtiaz himself puts it, he'd have loved to make a "TV series out of Jab We Met if I hadn't made a film out of it. Geet and Aditya's story had many layers that could be tapped". It was another matter altogether that reality show star Pavitra Punia and model turned actor Siddharth Shukla were not the best bets for the roles they reprised and the show bit dust much before it was expected to!

Not that the small screen shows haven't been 'inspired' by Bollywood films before. In Dill Mill Gayye, entire sequences from Dil Toh Pagal Hai (the 'Aur Paas' scene between Shah Rukh-Madhuri to the Lonavala sequences between SRK-Madhuri-Aruna Irani) and Andaz Apna Apna were recreated between its lead couple Karan Singh Grover and Shilpa Anand.

Ranbir Kapoor's famous towel dance sequence from Saawariya was reshot with Karan Tacker (Rang Badalti Odhni) and Nikhil Chaddha (Miley Jab Hum Tum Season 2). Movie songs have been reshot in shows - Salaam-e- Ishq (Dill Mill Gayye, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?), Bahon Ke Darmiyan ( Mrs Kaushik Ke Paanch Bahuyein, Bade Achche Lagte Hain), Anarkali Disco Chali (Punar Vivaah) etc etc.

Now comes the twist in the proverbial Bollywood tale. David Dhawan's Biwi No. 1 seems to have found a fairly faithful copy in Ekta Kapoor's Kya Hua Tera Vaada with the typical Balaji tadka. Pawan Shankar tries to do a Salman Khan, while the svelte Mouli Ganguly in a new, revamped mode reprises Sushmita Sen's role.

Mona Singh plays the hassled, much harried hausfrau, 'inspired' by Karisma Kapoor. There are even similar supporting actors. Delnaz doing a Tabu, Apara Mehta as Himani Shivpuri. Rajashri's Jhilmil Sitaron Ka Aangan Hoga is loosely inspired by Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit's Jamai Raja. Of course the characters have been 'modified' suitably.

Dil Se Di Dua... Saubhagyavati Bhava is also a faithful enough copy of the Juhi Chawla-Arbaaz Khan-Rishi Kapoor starrer Daraar which still is Arbaaz's best screen portrayal till date. Karanvir Bohra takes sadism to newer highs (or lows) as the overtly possessive and psychopath Virat Dobriyal in Dil Se..., Sriti Jha as the cowering Jahnvi might not be a match for Juhi, but hottie Harshad Chopra as the supportive boyfriend is a showstealer.

Shraddha Arya and Sudeep Sahir's Main Laxmi Tere Angan Ki is inspired by the 60s hit Saajanand the 80s hit, Mithun Chakravorty-Rati Agnihotri starrer, Pasand Apni Apni.

Bade Achche Lagte Hai, another Ekta Kapoor show is 'inspired' by a Kumar Gaurav-Poonam Dhillion flick made in the 80s, Teri Kasam. Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar are reliving Girish Karnad and Ranjeeta's roles. Of course Ram and Sakshi's screen chemistry and histrionic ability completely outshine their big screen predecessors.Ekta's also reportedly planning to create a love story based on Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge with Sara (of Dhoond Legi Manzil Hamein) Khan and Nishant Malkani replaying Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol's roles.

Sources in Balaji say, Zee TV has already planned "a slot for the show and it might take off post IPL". Incidentally, Ekta also intends to recreate Subhash Ghai's Pardes and is reportedly working on the casting and the script. The show was originally planned for Life Ok, but nothing has been finalized yet. JD Majethia's Hamari Bahu Ka Byah, soon to air on Sony TV is based on Dil Toh Pagal Hai. Gaurav Khanna essays the role played by SRK in the original.

Considering Bollywood filmmakers are in a remake mode, it's poetic justice perhaps that the big screen hits are now going 'small'. Will they work? Well, that's an answer that lies only with the audience, wielding the most powerful weapon of them all - the remote contol. If the storyline is gripping and the ensemble cast powerful, even 'inspired' films can be made to appear original!