How Southern Filmmakers Used Popular Hindi Films as a Model

Ajit Kumars fans get another chance to see their old favorite Billa in the cinemas. Arvind Suresh Kumar and Dr Gyan Barathi released the 2007 super hit on May 1 in over 150 screens across Tamil Nadu. According to media reports, this film was made 17 years ago with a budget of Rs 15 crore. This film was screened in theaters for 75 days and turned out to be a super hit. Billa was directed by Vishnuvardhan. This Billa was a remake of Rajinikanth's 1980 Billa. Rajinikanth's film was a remake of the 1978 Bollywood blockbuster Don.

Contrary to popular belief that only the Hindi film industry copies the South Indian film industry, the South has been making remakes of Hindi films for a long time. The 1957 classic Do Aankhen Bara Haath was remade in Tamil as Pallandu Vazagha in 1975 starring the then superstar MG Ramchandran.

This shows how Bollywood and South Indian cinema work together creatively. While Bollywood is known for its big musicals and dramas, South Indian films have their own style with intense action and emotional stories. When Bollywood films are remade in the South, they become a mixture of the two styles. The Hindi film industry is the largest. Bollywood's box office collection is equivalent to the combined collections of South India's Tamil, Telugu and Kannada industries, says Atul Mohan, senior business analyst. A limited number of South Indian films have been released pan-India, but if you look at Bollywood films, most of them are released pan-India.

Most often, Hindi film remakes have changed the look according to the sensibilities of their audience. Plus, remakes aren't just about creativity, they also make business sense. By remaking successful Bollywood films, South Indian filmmakers reduce the risk factor and investment.

On January 27, 2024, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, during his speech to students at the Symbiosis Film Festival in Pune, spoke about the values ​​of cinema. Regional cinema is doing very well. But when we talk to them, they say they make the same kind of films as us in Hindi. They just change the dressing so they look nice. Many people I met told me, “We are remaking your old films, there is Deewar, Shakti and Sholay somewhere in all our stories. Malayalam and some of Tamil cinema are authentic and aesthetic, the octogenarian had said.

This reiterates the fact that ultimately, it is not the language, but the story that captivates the audience, beyond all other barriers. Both sectors are doing their best in their respective fields. I would say social media has played a major role in this as nowadays viewers can easily find out about new remakes, says Atul. And not all films are remade; only a few are.

Having said that, it is interesting to note that despite the current trend of Southern films being adapted into Hindi, Southern directors look at Hindi films with a hawk's eye, eager to choose a good subject.

List of popular Bollywood films remade in South Indian film industry

Original Hindi version: Don (1978)
Tamil remake: Billa (1980)

Original Hindi version: Deewaar (1975)
Tamil remake: You (1981)

Original Hindi version: Munna Bhai MBBS (2003)
Tamil Remake: Vasool Raja MBBS (2004)

Original Hindi version: Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006)
Tamil Remake: Shankar Dada Zindabad (2007)

Original Hindi version: Jab We Met (2007)
Tamil Remake: Kanden Kadhalai (2009)

Hindi Original: A Wednesday (2008)
Tamil Remake: Unnaipol Oruvan (2009)

Original Hindi version: 3 Idiots (2009)
Tamil remake: Nanban (2012)

Original in Hindi: Baaja Baaraat Group (2010)
Tamil Remake: Aha Kalyanam (2014)

Original Hindi version: Delhi Belly (2011)
Tamil Remake: Settai (2013)

Original Hindi version: Bol Bachchan (2012)
Telugu remake: Masala (2013)

Original Hindi version: Rose (2016)
Tamil Remake: Nerkonda Paarvai (2019)

Original Hindi version: Andhadhun (2018)
Telugu Remake: Maestro (2021)