Bollywood to remake Amra

Remaking Tamil and Telugu hits is old news in Bollywood. But rarely has one heard of Bengali films being remade in any other language cinema.
Though there hasn���������������������������t been any dearth of critical appreciation, Tollywood hasn���������������������������t been in favour with remake directors. That���������������������������s perhaps why Mainak Bhaumik���������������������������s Amra will become a trendsetter of sorts in Tollywood what with the Bollywood deal of it being remade, being inked this month.
Says debutant director Shiladitya Bora, ���������������������������I���������������������������ve always dreamt of making a film. Following a few failed attempts at making big-budget Bollywood movies, I turned into a film entrepreneur. I���������������������������m the founder festival director of the Ahmedabad International Film Festival. While watching contemporary Bengali films, I chanced upon a movie which I wanted to remake in Hinglish. However, the adaptation rights were so steep that I couldn���������������������������t afford to buy them. Later, I chanced upon Mainak���������������������������s film. The urban story was impressive and I decided to remake it. The title of my film is Right Here, Right Now.���������������������������
Though Amra is based in Kolkata, Bora���������������������������s movie will be reworked to suit the pan-Indian needs. ���������������������������Mainak will be working closely with me to adapt this film for the national audience. RHRN is a racy comedy and about the interlocking lives and loves of six contemporary characters. They love the excitement of the dating game and the pursuit of a perfect lover and partner, in the underlying hope of eventually finding true love and happiness. Music will be composed by the Mumbai-based Hindi rock band Prayag,��������������������������� Bora adds.
Ask Bora why he felt the need to seek the rights since he intends to make changes and the director says, ���������������������������Even though I am making changes, Amra is the germ of the idea for my film. For any artiste, it���������������������������s important to give due credit to his source.��������������������������� Bora, however, is clueless about Amra itself being allegedly ���������������������������inspired��������������������������� from Edward Burns��������������������������� Sidewalks of New York. ���������������������������I haven���������������������������t watched Burns��������������������������� movie. For me, it���������������������������s important to have my paperwork in order. Hence, I���������������������������ve approached Amra���������������������������s producer, Nitesh Sharma, for the rights. I want my film to be entirely financed through in-film branding and debt free collaborative funding.���������������������������
Nitesh, on his part, says, ���������������������������The Amra remake offer came as a pleasant surprise. We might not have even known about it being remade had he made some necessary changes. His honesty has been overwhelming. Though he has offered to buy the remake rights, we want to support his effort by making this a joint venture project.
We might talk to Jisshu and Nilanjanaa, who were part of the original cast, to do this film too. Meanwhile, Bora has sent feelers to Purab Kohli to do this film.��������������������������� The shooting for RHRN will be held in Ahmedabad and is expected to begin from January.
priyanka.dasgupta@timesgroup.com