Mahesh Bhatt’s classic Arth remade in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Director Mahesh Bhatt’s cult romance drama Arth has been remade in Pakistan — the first Hindi movie to be officially reproduced in the neighbouring country.
The movie, titled Arth 2, stars Shaan Shahid, Humaima Malick, Uzma Hassan and Mohib Mirza. It has been made with a local narrative suited to local conditions, with reports saying the remake is a contemporary retelling of the original story and is set in Lahore.
The idea for Arth 2 materialised after Shaan met Bhatt in 2015 and expressed his desire to remake the film for Pakistani audiences. “Arth is the first film with the DNA of an Indian story to be set in Pakistan. If we want to strengthen film trade between our countries, Arth’s model is a great way of collaborating,” Shaan said.
And Pakistani cinema lov- ers can’t wait to see the film, especially after Bhatt himself praised the remake.
“A stunning looking film shot with passion. Thank u @mshaanshahid for bringing the film that hurled me into history to a whole new audience,” Bhatt tweeted. He also complimented Humaima for her spark and power-packed performance.”
The original movie, which was released in 1982, starred Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Raj Kiran. In the movie, a filmmaker (Kharbanda) has an affair with an actress (Patil) and leaves his wife (Azmi). The plot follows the wife’s search for her identity.