Click to play videoMumbai: Bollywood's biggest film-ever Sholay is all set for an official remake. Its a record breaking $100 million deal between Sasha Sippy, chairman of Sholay Media and Entertainment, the official rights-holders of the Sholay franchise, and production house Pritish Nandy Communications.
The taget is to remake Sholay, do an animated version of the original film, and then a prequel and a sequel.
Says Chairman of Sholay Media and Entertainment, Sasha Sippy, "Mr Nandy is a very persistent man. He chased me halfway across the world to buy the rights of the film and it was very evident from meeting him just a couple of times that he was very passionate about this. We have been looking for an appropriate partner to team up with for a very long time. It's not about the finances -- that's the least concern. We were looking for a partner in a creative way, which is very important for the makers of the brand and the trademark."
Adds the Founder Promoter Pritish Nandy Communications, Pritish Nandy, "The animated version will reach out to younger audiences, and the prequel and the sequel will stick to the generation that watched it first. Then the remake will be updated to suit the mood of our times."
Sasha Sippy has made this announcement after having won a bitter legal battle against Ram Gopal Verma, who's remake, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, is ready for the box office.
Says Sasha Sippy, "Ram Gopal Varma's movie is actually quite inconsequemtial. It has nothing to do with us and we never authorised it. He's behaved like a pirate."
However, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has his two bits to add.
"I am Sholay's biggest fan. I have never ever tried to tamper with the original's flavour, never tried to take away from it. Please realise it's my tribute to the classic."
Meanwhile, Pritish Nandy Communications and Sasha Sippy have started work on the many versions of the Sholay myth. Although a cast is yet to be named, one man is surely out - the Big B.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.