Another film inspired by Hollywood flicks is on the way. Will it work?
ACCORDING to recent reports, Hancock and James Bond will soon meet on screen for a new Bollywood film starring Randeep Hooda. The hero of the film will possess the qualities of both characters — he’ll look like a normal guy but have supernatural powers.
While ‘inspiration’ isn’t a new word in the dictionary of Indian cinema, an overdose of movies inspired by Hollywood and regional movies makes movie-goers wonder if Bollywood scriptwriters and directors have run out of ideas. Recent movies like U, Me Aur Hum (The Notebook), Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music), Love Story 2050 (Back to the Future, Star Wars, Bicentennial Man and Time Machine), Krazzy 4 (The Dream Team), Shaurya (A Few Good Men), Partner (Hitch) and Heyy Babyy (Three Men And A Baby) have all been inspired by Hollywood movies. While remakes like Partner, Heyy Babyy and Sarkar (The Godfather) worked at the BO, all the other movies flopped.
So what goes wrong in these ‘inspired’ films? “The movie has to be made well,” says MG Sathya, scriptwriter for Swades. “It’s a very subjective matter and there are parameters that make an inspiration work,” he says. Sathya also feels that filmmakers often use the formula as a marketing strategy. “Directors don’t need to say that a film is an adaptation of another movie. But they do to get people interested in their films,” he says.
However, he feels there’s nothing wrong in making a movie based on the script of another movie as long as it’s well thought out. “We make movies for the masses. They don’t pay attention to whether a movie is inspired by another movie or not. It depends on the marketing, star cast and director,” Sathya says.
But actor Ramesh Aravind feels there’s no point in remaking a movie. “If I were to make a movie based on some other hit, I’d present my point of view to the audience. I’d never remake it with a new star cast,” he says. “When I watched U Me Aur Hum, it was like watching The Notebook,” says techie Sudheendra M. “So I knew the ending when the movie had just started. I knew she’d remember everything at the end and it totally killed the movie for me,” he says.
According to Ramesh, the classics should be left untouched. “Classics have their own impact. Filmmakers shouldn’t touch the original as the second version of a classic often turns out to be a disaster,” he says. What draws audiences to theatres when they already know the storyline of a movie? “Some people go just to see how badly the moviemakers goofed up,” says Ramesh, adding, “My wife went to see RGV Ki Aag to see how well they remade Sholay!”
*********
list-of-hindi-tunes-copied-from-english
*********
KISSA COPY KA
In demand even before the debut
ACCORDING to recent reports, model and actor Mugdha Godse has signed a three-movie deal with a production company that involves directors like Priyadarshan, David Dhawan, Nagesh Kukunoor and Madhur Bhandarkar. So well before the audience gives its verdict on her debut performance in Fashion, the actress has her hands full with future projects.
This is the case with most actors who’ve made their Bollywood debuts recently. The marketing machines for these debutants have been in overdrive, arranging media coverage, interviews and promos. So they’ve become stars even before anyone’s actually seen them on screen.
How much does the hype do for newbies? “The promotions and media attention help the actor for the first film. People need to know there’s a new face they need to look out for,” says actor Adhyayan Suman, who made his debut with Haal-e-Dil. “The publicity doesn’t help an actor bag more films. It’s the talent that gets noticed and decides future projects. The producers have an eye for talent and that’s why they they signed me for other projects. I consider myself very lucky,” says Adhyayan.
The dearth of fresh faces also sends producers on signing sprees, says Ram Mirchandani, executive vice-president of a production company that is also co-producing Fashion. “If an actor looks good in the promos and the publicity campaigns, we sign him up on the premise that he’ll have the potential to become a star. That’s a risk we have to take. Also, after a movie becomes a hit, the actor’s fee increases and he becomes less approachable because of date problems,” says Ram.
Adhyayan points out that superstars like Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan can’t do every film and that creates opportunities for newcomers. “It’s good for the industry that producers and directors have more options,” he says.
But actor Rajeev Khandelwal of Aamir fame believes in playing fair. “I didn’t sign any films before my debut was released. I waited for the film to release and the audience to give me their verdict. Then I signed a three-film deal with a production company,” says Rajeev.
Is insecurity also a reason most debutants sign other films before their first films release? “To each his own,” says Rajeev, adding, “There could be other reasons for other actors; they could be far-sighted. I just believe in playing a fair game.”
WATCH OUT FOR
Deepika Padukone: Bachna Ae Haseeno, Chandni Chowk To China
Ranbir Kapoor: Bachna Ae Haseeno, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, Wake Up Sid
Harman Baweja: Victory, It’s My Life, What’s Your Raashee?, Chenab Gandhi
Imran Khan: Kidnap, Luck, Delhi Belly
Adhyayan Suman: Fast Forward, Raaz 2, Dewaana 2
Rajeev Khandelwal in Peter Gaya Kaam Se
