Karan Johar woke up to the potential in backing larger-than-life South Indian cinema after Baahubali: The Conclusion. Let’s say he tasted blood at the box office.
Now he wants to make more epic films just like Baahubali, but different.
*cough Kalank* *cough Brahmastra*
We are also about to get the Hindi remake of Telugu film Arjun Reddy, Kabir Singh. But, this is not the first time Bollywood has taken inspiration from down South. From romance sagas like Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (from Tamil film Minnale) and Saathiya (from Tamil film Alaipayuthey) to comedy films like Hera Pheri (from Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking); from cult classics like Sooryavansham (from Tamil film Suryavamsam) to action films like Wanted (from Telugu film Pokiri) and Ghajini (from Tamil film of the same name). And here are five more from the last five years which were also remade from hit South Indian films.
Singham Returns (2014)
The Rohit Shetty film which gave us the iconic ‘Aata Majhi Satakli’ was inspired by the 1993 Malayalam film Ekalavyan. This was the sequel to Shetty’s 2011 film Singham, which was in turn inspired by the 2010 Tamil film Singam
Drishyam (2015)
This Ajay Devgn and Tabu-starrer is actually one of those rare legit good remakes which aren’t entirely redundant. This film was the Hindi remake of the 2013 original Malayalam film Drishyam.
OK Jaanu (2017)
This bonafide dud by Shaad Ali, who once gave us the classic Saathiya, was as unnecessary as it can be. Critics noted how it was an almost frame by frame copy of the Tamil original, Mani Ratnam’s OK Kanmani.
Baaghi 2 (2018)
This Tiger Shroff-Disha Patani starrer is the Hindi remake of the Telugu film Kshanam. It’s also the sequel to the 2016 film Baaghi, which had similarities with the Tamil film Varsham and Indonesian film The Raid: Redemption.
Simmba (2018)
Rohit Shetty has a thing for hyper-machismo which is a common theme in many mainstream South Indian films. So, it isn’t a surprise that most of his films are remakes of South Indian films. Even though the makers claim that only certain parts of Simmba were inspired from scenes in Telugu film Temper, there is no denying that the basic storyline of both the films are exactly the same.
