Actor Bhumi Pednekar's eagerly-awaited Durgamati, which is slated to stream on Amazon Prime Video from Friday (December 11), has created a great deal of buzz among fans for a variety of reasons. A section of the audience is, however, not too happy about the fact that it is a remake (of the Telugu-Tamil movie Bhaagamathie) as opposed to a fresh attempt at storytelling.
With the film set to entertain fans, here is a look a why remake culture is a boon for the film industry despite the fact that some netizens have reservations about it.
Not a new trend: Actor Anupama Kumar tells DH that there's nothing wrong with remaking movies from one language to another as the trend has often yielded positive results.
"It's not really a new trend. Even in the past good and hit movies have been remade.. with some success," she says.
Anupama was last seen in the well-received movie Dharala Prabhu, the Tamil remake of the Hindi movie Vicky Donor.
Also read: 4 movies to watch if you are excited about Bhumi Pednekar’s ‘Durgamati’
The Hindi movie Miss Mary, an adaptation/retelling of the Telugu classic Missama, was one of the most popular remake films of the 1950s. Actor Jeetendra starred in the Bollywood versions of Tollywood blockbusters such as Bobbili Puli (Zakhmi Sher), Ooruki Monagadu (Himmatwala) and Vetagaadu (Nishana), cementing his legacy.
More opportunities for artistes: The remake culture has often helped artistes expand their fan base. Director Sandeep Vanga became a household name when his maiden Hindi film Kabir Singh, a remake of his Tollywood blockbuster Arjun Reddy, set the box office on fire. The late Sridevi received rave reviews from all corners when she delivered a terrific performance in the Sadma, a remake of her Tamil movie Moondram Pirai.
Breaking the language barrier: According to actor Arshad Warsi, who plays a key role in Durgamati, remaking a film helps people enjoy good stories in a language they understand.
"There is no harm in it. If a film can be enjoyed in a part (of the country) why should others not enjoy it in a language they understand?," the Munnabhai MBBS actor tells DH.
It is here to stay: The 'remake' is likely to remain an inseparable part of the film industry in the foreseeable future. Shahid Kapoor's Jersey, a retelling of the Telugu movie of the same name, is one of the most eagerly-awaited remake movies of 2021. Actor Bellamkonda Sreenivas's maiden Bollywood movie, a remake of the SS Rajamouli-directed Chatrapathi, too has created a buzz among fans.