Bollywood, a neologism based on the words Hollywood and Bombay — modern-day Mumbai — is currently the world’s largest film production hub. Though many films produced in Bollywood are originals, many are remakes of American movies or movies from other countries. Sometimes an American film performs well, and Bollywood producers want to recreate it for a Hindi (or another Indian language) speaking audience.
But sometimes, a film bombs, and Indian producers remake it anyway — perhaps the plot piques their interest despite a poor execution. In some cases, the Bollywood remake may be more worth an audience’s time than the original.
'Raaz' (2002)
What Lies Beneath is a 2000 horror film starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer. It’s about an older couple who live a quiet life in Vermont in a lakeside house that begins to appear haunted.
The film was met with mixed reviews, yet the storyline was compelling enough to inspire a Bollywood remake. Raaz came out two years later as an unofficial remake of What Lies Beneath. The general plot is the same as the American film, though there are some small differences. Raaz performed very well — it was lauded for its acting, and, notably, for its score. It was so successful that it inspired three sequels, the first two of which also performed well.
‘OMG- Oh My God!’ (2012)
‘The Man Who Sued God’ is a 2001 Australian comedy. It stars Billy Connolly, who plays a former lawyer-turned-fisherman. The fishing boat is one day blown to pieces by a strike of lightning, which the insurance company deems an “act of God.” Connolly’s character decides to take the matter to court, and files a claim against God.
The film was well-received, and was actually made into a stage play in India called Kanji Virudh Kanji, which was then adapted into the screenplay OMG- Oh My God! Due to significant cultural differences, the Hindi version of the movie has prominent differences. The main character, Kanji, owns a shop of Hindu idols that is destroyed in an earthquake. In the end, it is revealed that the destruction of the shop was a deliberate act of Krishna, and Kanji learns to embrace religion. The film was highly praised for its handling of sensitive and important social issues.
'Sholay' (1975)
The Magnificent Seven is a classic 1960 Western about a group of men who are hired to protect a town in Mexico from bandits. It is itself a remake of Akira Kurosawa's watershed film, Seven Samurai, and it was remade again in 2016. Despite an impressive ensemble cast, the 2016 version was not very well received.
Sholay is an Indian remake of the 1960 American film. There are some plot differences, like the fact that instead of featuring seven protagonists, Sholay is about a duo who are hired to capture a bandit. The movie performed very well, and to this day remains one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever. It’s won multiple awards and has become an integral part of Indian culture.
‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’ (2003)
Robin Williams stars in the 1998 comedy Patch Adams, which is based on the true story of Dr. Hunter Adams. In the film, Dr. Adams develops a strategy of medicine where he focuses on humor and treating the spirit as a means to healing the body. Though some aspects of the film were praised, it was heavily criticized for being overly sentimental and largely straying from the actual events of Dr. Adams’s life.
The Indian remake of Patch Adams is called Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. and came out in 2003. Though many details are different from Patch Adams, it also follows the story of a medical student who uses laughter and kindness to treat his patients. Munna Bhai M.B.B.S was much better received than Patch Adams, spawning sequels and winning several awards.
'Ek Ruka Hua Faisla' (1986)
12 Angry Men is a 1957 drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, based on a teleplay by the same name. It is about a jury deciding their verdict over a murder case. At first, it seems obvious that the accused is guilty, but one juror convinces the rest that further deliberation is needed. The movie is now considered a great film but was a box office disappointment at the time of its release.
The Hindi remake, Ek Ruka Hua Faisla, came out almost 30 years later in 1986. Uniquely, the Indian version is almost identical to the original in terms of plot, setting, and characterization, even though India does not even have a jury system. The film received positive reviews, with critics complimenting the dialogue and acting.
‘Baazigar’
A Kiss Before Dying is a 1991 thriller based on a 1953 novel by Ira Levin. The film did poorly at the box office and generally garnered negative reviews. It has a 31% on Rotten Tomatoes and is criticized for being cliched. Actress Sean Young even won a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress and Worst Supporting Actress.
The Hindi language remake called Baazigar came out in 1993. Contrary to the original, it was a massive box office success. It became the fourth most successful film of that year, and subsequently, a cult favorite, known for its debut of on-screen couple Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.
'Musafir' (2004)
U-Turn is a 1997 crime thriller written by John Ridley, who also wrote the novel the film was based on. It is about a drifter, Bobby, who needs to repay his debt to a gangster in Arizona. It stars Sean Penn and Jennifer Lopez. Despite the star power, U-Turn received mostly bad reviews. It was even nominated for a couple of Golden Raspberry Awards; one for Worst Director and the other for Worst Supporting Actor.
The remake, Musafir, came out in 2004. It managed to preserve the neo-noir style of the original while being adapted to Indian audiences. It was controversial at first, due to some sexual scenes, but this may have contributed to its immediate popularity. The film was fairly positively received by critics and was nominated for several awards by the International Indian Film Academy.