The release of Laal Singh Chaddha is a good occasion to talk about remakes. Laal Singh Chaddha, which is a remake of the 1994 American hit and multiple Academy Awards winner Forrest Gump, is getting mixed reviews for the way its has adapted the original. Some are okay with the tweaks, and some others say that the changes have diluted the spirit of the original.
The problem for any remake movie is that many feel that it's a waste of time and money to create something which has already been made and appreciated somewhere.
But a good remake, if it is not a silly copy-paste kinda exercise, can actually go one step ahead of the original. And we have five examples of the same. Okay, 4 in the list of 5 surely went past the original in our view. The remaining one Chandramukhi was not better than Manichitrathazhu, but was entertaining in its own right. Also, we needed a figure like 5 to make our list look rounded.
Kuruthipunal (1995)
This is an adaptation of the highly-acclaimed 1994 Hindi film Drohkaal, helmed by Govind Nihalani. The original had fetched Ashish Vidyarthi a National award, and the film that deals with the pressures cops soak in when taking on cruel, nerveless terrorists. Though ace cinematographer P C Sreeram is credited with directing the remake Kuruthipunal, one can see the stamp of Kamal Haasan all over the film. The tweaks from the original were a veritable lesson in adaptation. In the event, the remake was more relatable and more scary. Little wonder, it was India's entry to the Oscars that year. But it failed to make the cut.
Kuruthipunal is available on YouTube
Chandramukhi (2005)
At the outset, we'll clarify again that Manichitrathazhu, the Malayalam original, was better. But Chandramukhi is less a remake but more a take-off from the original. The sensibilities and approach of both the films are different. One is rooted in realism, the other is meant as a mainstream commercial entertainer. And that is where Chandramukhi scored. It was a good package of sentiments comedy, songs, and rousing masala moments. A movie that made Rajinikanth bounce back in style from the drubbing of Baba.
Chandramukhi available on SunNXT
Sathyaa (1988)
Arjun, taking up the issue of joblessness, was a big hit in Hindi. But Kamal took it, amped up the fight sequences with more gore and realism, and also made the angst of the youth more relatable. In the event, Sathyaa became less of a mainstream masala movie more of a clarion call of the youngsters who get caught up in politics much above their league. Of course, Kamal was in his post-Nayagan phase. So he bulked up and grew a thick beard and looked every bit a muscled bouncer of a politician. This was the period when Kamal was at the peak of his creative run.
Sathyaa is available on Aha
Thillu Mullu (1981)
For many, especially those from the Hindi speaking land, Gol Maal, which was the original is the better product. And Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt are absolute legends just for this film alone. But the view from the South is a bit different. For the remake, helmed by the ace director K Balachander, added more humour, especially through the dialogues of Visu. And the choice of Rajnikanth to play the lead in a humour-filled movie was an inspired one. It brought to the fore a new facet in the star's acting skills. Of course, Thengai Srinivasan, in the character that Utpal Dutt played, was special, giving one of his best performances ever. But between the songs Aanewala Pal Jane Wala Hai and Ragangal Padhinaaru, we are conflicted. Both are hall-of-famers.
Thillu Mullu is available on Amazon Prime
Vasool Raja MBBS (2004)
Again, this too may seem a contentious choice. For, Munna Bhai MBBS enjoys a special place in the hearts of Bollywood fans. It is a much loved film. Actually, the Tamil remake Vasool Raja MBBS, even if much liked doesn't enjoy that much of an iconic status that Munna Bhai has among the Hindi audience. But Vasool Raja, thanks to the dialogue of Crazy Mohan, had more laugh-out-loud lines. It is an object lesson in how to improvise the humour in a remake without stretching for effect.
Vasool Raja MBBS is available on SunNXT
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