Remake Renaissance

Farhana Farook

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 19:08 IST

Plagiarising foreign films has always been a Bollywood quirk, often dismissed as 'inspiration.' But recently makers seem to dig desi archives for renewed insights.

Jumping on the remake bandwagon are - JP Dutta with 'Umrao Jaan', Farhan Akhtar with 'Don', David Dhawan with 'Amar Akbar Anthony', Rituparno Ghosh with 'Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam' and Ram Gopal Varma with 'Sholay'.

Imitation is flattery, but how do original makers feel about their masterpieces being revisited? Is it letting your beloved into alien arms or an avowal of their timeless genius?
Muzaffar Ali who parented the classic 'Umrao Jaan' is taciturn about Dutta's Jaipur take-off.

"Lucknow (where Umrao lived) was the driving force behind my film. It's the people's prerogative to accept or reject any remake," he says, adding, "I'd never remake a film. One cannot relive a relationship. I'd put my energy into something new. Remakes should be best called 'dwidh (second)'!"

But son of the late Manmohan Desai, Ketan, is blas about 'Amar Akbar Anthony' being remade by David Dhawan, "Creativity is free. My father had sold the negatives.
So why should I grudge it?" But remaking it himself is a no-no, "The film has flawless script, music, performances. What more could I add to a 24-carat diamond?"

Director of the original 'Don', Chandra Barot, is glad about Farhan Akhtar recreating it with Shah Rukh Khan, "I see myself in Farhan. In this industry people are self-willed; at least he sought permission." Barot gets positive, "People are noticing me again. I have resurfaced!"

Conversely, filmmaker Rohan Sippy is averse about dad Ramesh Sippy's "flawless" 'Sholay' being replicated, "It can't be remade. Even if released today it will run to packed-houses."

Maker Rituparno Ghosh is recreating late Guru Dutt's 'Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam'. Son of the maverick, Arun Dutt states, "The original will hold its place in history. But there's nothing wrong in remaking it. It's based on Bimal Mitra's novel and they have got the rights." He negates remaking it himself, "I'd be compared to dad instantly!"

In this remake clamor, the Tom Cat who has licked the cream is filmmaker Feroz Khan. Instead of allowing others to get 'inspired' by his 'Qurbani', Khan takes "the challenge to remake the futuristic film" with son Fardeen Khan.

Appeasing the box-office goddess or reaffirming that 'old is gold', the classic is the contemporary flavour!
k_farhana@dnaindia.net