Regional films gift Bollywood crackerjack movie plots

B ollywood is famous for inspiring (and getting inspired) by films from all around the world. Films from south India have led to many remakes, e.g. Salman Khan’s Wanted (2009; from Pokkiri, 2007); and Akshay Kumar’s Rowdy Rathore (2012; from Vikramarkudu, 2006).

Many upcoming Bollywood films, too, have taken this route. Ranveer Singh’s Simmba is a remake of the 2015 Telugu film Temper; Arjun Kapoor’s Arjun Reddy has the same title as 2017 Telugu film; and Baaghi 2 is a remake of the 2016 Telugu thriller Kshanam. Then there’s Kanchana 2, a

Tamil horror-comedy that’s being remade. A source close to the remake team tells us, “Yes, the film is happening, and the lead will be Akshay. The team is waiting for the right time to announce it.”

Trade expert Atul Mohan explains Bollywood’s fascination with regional cinema: “It helps to remake a film that has already proved itself at the box office. Earlier, say 30 years back, there weren’t any ‘official’ remakes. No one would know that the film was a remake, unless the producer himself remade the film. Today, people [learn through] TV and Internet, and the copyright laws are strict.”

Even Marathi films are being eyed by Bollywood. Sairat (2016), starring two newcomers, earned ₹100 crore. The remake, Dhadak, is the launch vehicle of Jhanvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter.

Actor Shreyas Talpade was the producer of the Marathi film, Poshter Boyz (2014), which he remade in Hindi as Poster Boys (2017). Talpade says, “When adapting a film into another language, we should stick to the strengths of the original.” He adds that a remake has to deal with higher expectations, but the curiosity factor works in its favour. n rishabh.suri@htlive.com

The Tamil movie Kanchana 2 (inset) will be remade, with Akshay Kumar cast in the Hindi film

Arjun Kapoor’s Arjun Reddy is based on the Telugu film (inset) of the same name

Ranveer Singh’s Simmba is a remake of the Telugu film Temper (inset)