Click to play videoMumbai: Bollywood has often been inspired by movies from the south. But do they match up the original?
Bollywood has never been shy of greeting its southern counterparts, when it runs out of ideas. While Aamir Khan is busy with his remake of the Tamil blockbuster Ghajini, Salman Khan will soon start shooting for Wanted Dead Or Alive, a remake of another Tamil superhit Pokiri.
Though many successful films from the south have been remade in Bollywood over the years, only few have managed to crack it, both critically and commercially. Here are 5 films, which we think worked the best and were almost as good as the original, if not better.
First on the list is veteran director K Balachander's tragic love saga Ek Duje Ke Liye, which had Kamal Hasan playing a Tamil boy in love with the Hindi-speaking Rati Agnihotri. The film released in 1981 was remade from the super hit Telugu film Maro Charitra. With an unforgettable sound track, the film made Bollywood sit up and take notice of Kamal Hassan.
Sadma was a film, which touched many hearts. Released in 1983, the film was a remake of the Tamil film Moondram Pirai by the ace cinematographer-director K Balumahendra. The film is most remembered for career-best performances by Kamal Hasan and Sri Devi. The film earned a cult following among Hindi-speaking audiences.
Next on the list is Woh Saat Din with Anil Kapoor in his first lead role, playing a small-time musician from Patiala who moves to Mumbai to make it big in Bollywood as a music director. This 1983 film was remade from writer-director K Baghyaraj's Tamil hit Andha Ezhu Naatkal. Naseeruddin shah gave an amazingly restrained yet powerful performance.
Another Anil Kapoor Film to make the cut is Virasat. Directed by Priyadarshan, this film released in 1997, was a remake of the Tamil film Thevar Magan about a son reluctant to inherit his father's legacy. The film proved to be good show reel for the talents of choreographer Farah Khan and cinematographer Ravi K Chandran.
And rounding up the top 5 is Shaad Ali's directorial debut Saathiya, a frame-by-frame remake of his mentor Mani Ratnam's Tamil hit Alai Paayuthe. AR Rahman's memorable music along with Gulzaar's lyrics and dialogue made it a thoroughly enjoyable movie experience.
The success of these films show that it's not just enough to buy the remake rights of a film. You need to suit the taste of the audience and get all aspects of filmmaking right. Every step in the process needs attention. Just like making filter coffee.
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