Salman Khan: top sequels in bollywood & other news

HYDERABAD: What do Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar have in common?

They simply love the spice and masala of the South Indian films, something that Bollywood in general is getting to relish. The taste isn't just lingering but is translating into revenues at the box-office for the badshahs of Bollywood.

There is a mad rush for Telugu films to be remade in Bollywood and it is not just stopping with adopting storylines.

When the Big B flew down to Hyderabad recently to join the excitement of the premier show of his new film 'Bhuddah Hoga Tera Baap' it was time to celebrate southern sizzlers. Puri Jagannath who has directed the film seems to have given Amitabh Bachchan a taste of Tollywood.

Puri may just have followed Ram Gopal Varma make a mark in Bollywood which has really fallen to the 'action and masala' of Telugu movies. Which is why there is a mad rush to grab the remake rights of Telugu films.

Only recently, Salman Khan delivered a super-duper hit 'Ready' which is a remake of a Telugu film of the same name.

Salman Khan seems to have sensed that the moolah lies in the masala formula of Tollywood. Earlier, his 'Wanted' made waves in Bollywood. This film was a remake of 'Pokiri', a huge hit in Telugu which was also directed by Puri Jagannath with Mahesh Babu in the lead role.

The buzz is that Salman is also keen on doing the remakes of 'Kick' and 'Mirapakaya' starring Ravi Teja. Both the films did very well at the box-office in Tollywood.

In recent years, it is Aamir Khan who first sensed that there is more to Tollywood than just songs, dances and fights.

One of Bollywood's biggest grossers of all times, 'Ghajini' which collected more than Rs 100 crore was a remake of a Tamil film. The dubbed version of the film which was released in Telugu with the same name caught Aamir Khan's fascination. Allu Aravind produced the film in Hindi with Aamir Khan in the lead and it rewrote history in Bollywood.

"Basically, Bollywood has taken a fascination for the South Indian masala formula and that is reaping dividends. Retaining the flavour of the original Telugu or Tamil movie, films are being remade in Hindi much to the liking of audiences all over the country," said film critic Jeevi.

"Though the huge hit 'Dabang' is not a remake, the flavour of the South is there throughout in the movie as the filmmaker himself confessed that his fascination for South Indian movies inspired him to make such a movie," Jeevi said.

Not only is Bollywood looking to Tollywood and other South Indian language movies to give itself a fresh lease of life, big heroes are also particularly becoming conscious of giving themselves a different look by borrowing from the South.

Action hero Akshay Kumar has also joined the list of heroes taking a fascination for the South by playing the lead in the remake of a Telugu film titled 'Vikramarkudu'.

"The remake rights are not being given away for paltry amounts by Telugu producers anymore. They are demanding and getting what they want," a producer said without getting into the figures.

A huge hit of Telugu 'Bommarillu' which has been remade in Hindi by Boney Kapoor as 'it's my Life' starring Harman Baweja and Genelia is also expected to hit the screens soon. So much for the spice of the South being relished by Bollywood.

Come up with an original idea? Screw that. Lift from "Down South". Cheaper to buy the rights to tollywood movies than hollywood movies.

Hi tuli😊 hugs to you too