Play it again Bollywood!

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">Once upon a time, making a remake of a southern hit was considered a sure-shot way of hitting the bull’s-eye at the Bollywood box-office. Padmalaya, Suresh Productions, Bonney Kapoor and Satish Kaushik provide instances of those who cashed in on this winning formula. But as things stand today, it is becoming increasing difficult for Bollywood to be successful with the remake take.<br />Be it <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Badhaai Ho Badhaai, Nayak, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein </span>or <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hum Ho Gaye Aapke</span>, Bollywood’s southside remakes of recent times have made a lot of noise, but haven’t done too much business.In fact, the last major remake with ‘hit’ credentials is <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai</span>. This brings us to this Friday, which will see two films hitting theatres — Kya Dil Ne Kaha, starring Tusshar and Esha; and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein,</span> which has Fardeen Khan and Richa Pallod in the lead. While <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kya Dil Ne Kaha</span> is a remake of the Telugu film Swayamvaram, Fardeen replicates the role of Venkatesh in Kalisumdaam Raa —the National Award recipient for the Best Regional Film and the highest-grossing Telugu movie of 1999.<br />Now, the question: will recent history repeat itself and see Bollywood missing the mark with its latest remakes? No, maintains Ram Mohan of Suresh Productions, the producers of both <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kalisumdaam Raa</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein</span>: ‘‘Remakes which have stayed true to the spirit of the original —<span style="" font-style:="" italic=""> Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai, Anari, Prem Qaidi </span>and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain</span> — have not faltered at the box-office. Like our earlier films, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein</span> plays true to the original. Only the setting of the film has changed so that the audience can associate better with the characters.’’<br />Sanjay Chhel, the director of Kya Dil Ne Kaha, has a slightly different version: ‘‘The original idea of my movie is based on Swayamvaram, but I have made Kya Dil Ne Kaha more youthful so that youngsters can relate to it.’’ <br />Well, kuch tum kaho, kuch movie-makers kahein. But finally, what matters is kya box-office’s dil ne kaha! </div> </div>