Let the original be

When music directors first remixed Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi and RD Burman songs, the industry was up in arms.
���It���s the only way the younger generation will listen to these classic compositions,��� composer Leslie Lewis said at the launch of one of his albums.
Now that Bollywood remixes have found their way into every disc in India and abroad, film-makers seem to be using the same excuse to remake full-fledged classic films.From Devdas, Parineeta, Victoria No. 203, Don, Umrao Jaan, Shiva and Sholay to the more recent, Karz, directors are suddenly obsessed with remaking scripts of yesteryear. But while Devdas, Parineeta and Don have been runaway hits, the others have been disasters. Is there is a formula to make a remake work?
The untouchables
The Sholays and the Umrao Jaans fall under this category. These are films that should be picked from the library for viewing pleasure; not to be tampered with. These classics have been loved across generations. ���No amount of slick editing and tweaking can recreate the magic of films like Karz, Guddi and Deewar. These films are in a league of their own. It���s sheer stupidity to attempt remaking them,��� says media analyst Rachana Puri.
Cast away
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan replacing Rekha? Amitabh Bachchan reprising Amjad Khan? Himesh Reshammiya in place of Rishi Kapoor? If anything, at least get the cast right, say film buffs. ���It���s the characters that live on in our memories ��� Umrao Jaan, Basanti, Jai and Veeru and even Kalia. You need top-notch actors to re-enact these roles,��� says Rajan Mishra, a student. Probably why makers of Devdas and Don chose SRK to slip into Dilip Kumar and Big B���s shoes.
A twist in the tale
���Whether you achieve it by contemporarising the plot or changing the script slightly, if you���re releasing old wine in a new bottle, it better be a brand new, fancy bottle,��� says Reena Malhotra, a techie. Don worked because it was Farhan Akhtar���s story. Devdas and Parineeta for their grand sets and solid screenplay. The others were plain copies. We repeat, ���Kitne admi the��� cannot be replaced by ���Kitne...���. Besides, how relevant is the heartbreaking story of a beautiful 19th century courtesan, Umrao Jaan, in an age of professional escorts and pubs?