Bollywood digs out old scripts
Noreen Aslam

BOMBAY—A writer’s block has certainly not stumped Bollywood, what with its attic full of stories that can be remade. Even skilled screenwriter Honey Irani’s directorial debut Armaan, due in May this year, is inspired by Kamal Amrohi’s 1960s love triangle Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi.
While Anil Kapoor plays the role originally essayed by the late thespian Raj Kumar, Preity Zinta and Gracy Singh play the roles of Nadira and Meena Kumari respectively. Irani isn’t alone. Many other filmmakers are treading the known path. “There isn’t much of a choice. Good writers are becoming harder to find. Everyone, from Yash Chopra to Vashu Bhagnani, is facing an acute shortage of writers,” says Hansal Mehta.
Says his colleague Anubhav Sinha: “I’ve been looking for an original script for the last two years. Now I’m just looking for a good old Hindi film to remake.” Boney Kapoor, for one, prefers to remake Tamil-Telugu hits rather than look for scripts in Mumbai. “That way I’ve ready reference points which together with the director, I develop into totally autonomous Hindi products,” he asserts.
Though his last two southern Indian remakes Shakti: The Power and Khushi haven’t done well, Kapoor is all set to remake the Tamil hit Run with Abhishek Bachchan in the lead. Other Hindi filmmakers who have seen a spate of southern remakes fall at the turnstiles are now turning to cinema in their own backyard. Dharamesh Darshan, who was inspired by two 1960s hits Jab Jab Phool Khile and Sangam to make the blockbusters Raja Hindustani and Dhadkan, is now remaking BR Chopra’s 1960s musical hit Gumrah as Bewafaa with Kareena Kapoor playing Mala Sinha’s role.
Kareena also figures in Sooraj Barjatya’s Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon which is a remake of Chitchor, a romantic musical comedy that Basu Chatterjee made in the 1970s for the Barjatyas. Nine years ago, Sooraj Barjatya had remade yet another film from his banner, Nadiya Ke Paar as the historical hit Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. Bollywood scripts are coming full circle once more.