NRI Filmmaker remakes Amar Akbar Anthony

For my generation i.e. those kids who grew up in the 70's and 80's watching blockbuster masala flicks, there are certain films that hold a legendary place in our hearts and minds.  Speaking for myself, and I'm sure for a larger group as well, one of those films is definitely Manmohan Desai's Amar Akbar Anthony.  With its power cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh and Parveen Babi, AAA tells the story of three brothers, separated at birth, who are raised respectively as a Hindu, Muslim and a Christian. The film is a zany mélange of songs, good guys and bad guys, fight scenes and melodramatic reunions - your typical masala movie with all the details done to a  tee.

Here's Amitabh as the memorable Anthony Gonsalves:

With the current trend of remakes, it was inevitable that AAA would be remade for a contemporary audience.  Three years ago, there was a buzz that David Dhawan was going to remake the film with the Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan.  Who know what's up with that, but there is news of another remake by NRI filmmaker, Manan Singh Katohora, whose most famous film so far has been When Kiran Met Karen, a serious film about cross-cultural lesbian romance.   He also worked on the satire film, Bollywood Blues. Similarly, this film will be a light-hearted spook set in Jackson Heights and will be entitled Amar Ash Anthony.  Akbar's character from the old has been replaced by a character named Aishwarya in the new.

Actors in the film include Vidur Kapur, Tushar Unadkat, Nimish Shah, Ammara Ali and Dan Nainan.

Here's on of the hit songs from AAA, Parda Hai Parda, featuring Rishi Kapoor:

I'd like to congratulate Mona Rateja, who's the winner of our Filmfare Awards Contest! Congratulations, Mona, on the most accurate prediction of Filmfare winners for 2008!  Mona will receive 2 complimentary passes for a Cineplex Odeon film along with coupons for drinks and snacks!

Comments

[Swati]

Till now, I largely distrust Bollywood remakes but if in this case they're making a farce which is what it sounds like and they market it as such, maybe people wouldn't feel as offended.

The trouble with most Bollywood remakes is they try to cash in on the name of the old one and then flip the story on its back in the middle of horrendously lavish settings. As if lavish settings could blind us to their wrong in the story altering.

[Savia R]

I'm wary of remakes in general and feel they tend to kill the original a la Ram Gopal Varma's 'Sholay.' It'll be interesting to see if this one turns out to be any different.

[Vijay Sappani]

Remakes are becoming hits. In one way you can say that the industry lacks creativity, but in another way they are displaying creativity like the autp industry came out with the modern beetle and mini. Waiting to get a copy of the film.

[Dr. Shamira]

This was one of my most favourite bollywood movies when I was growing up! It will be interesting to see if they can live up to the blockbuster hit from the 80's!! Tough act to repeat!