What about the girls?

There���������s yet another common thread that binds Bollywood and Tollywood films. Both film industries dump their leading ladies when it comes to sequels of successful films, but retain most of the male cast.
T-Town dream merchants are replacing the heroines of their original versions in a big way. For instance, the big-ticket sequel Arya 2 has Kaajal in place of Anuradha Mehta.When asked about it, producer Aditya Ram is quick to explain. ���������Firstly, it���������s not a genuine sequel, only the hero���������s characterisation and flavour of the original have been retained. As for the female lead, Kaajal suited the script. That���������s it,��������� he says.
If it���������s a novel story altogether, then why the misleading title? ���������Actually, the title was popularised by the media for months, so we made it official. Due to lack of time, we didn���������t want to risk a new title as we had to promote it from scratch,��������� he confesses.
Director Saikiran Adavi���������s sequel Villagelo Vinayakudu was made with a new face and seems to have been critically acclaimed. ���������It struck the right chord even with the audience,��������� he says. On replacing Sonia with Tamil actress Saranya, he defends, ���������We wanted a chirpy and delicate girl to visually establish the mismatch between the protagonists as it was the lifeline of our story,��������� he reasons.
However, producer Kalyan Ram���������s Diary, a sequel to Manthra, had no such luck, despite casting Shraddha Das instead of Charmme. ���������No one knew that the film got released due to poor promotion. the producer was the same for both versions, but he vanished after selling the film. However, I am happy about receiving appreciation for my performance,��������� Shraddha says, with a hint of disappointment. Does she think sequels to spooky films are a risky proposition? ���������Irrespective of the genre, only solid scripts count at the BO,��������� she reasons. But she is quite charged up about her role in Arya 2 and exclaims ���������I am thrilled,��������� and for not being visible in the publicity blitz, ���������it was meant to be that way,��������� she says.
Even in the past, sequels like Money Money and Shankardada Zindabad sank without a trace and the latest dud was clich������d ���������horror��������� film Jaganmohini. Even the oomph act of Namita failed to create ripples at the BO, unlike the original which had a vamp Jayamalini in the lead but still minted big money in 1978.
Considering the mixed response, are sequels a safe bet? ���������Actually we don���������t make genuine sequels. Just to cash in on the name of the earlier hit, we just carry the hero and put him in a different situation. This does catch people���������s attention initially and if the film is really good, it works ,��������� says director V N Aditya, summing up the scenario.