Arjun Kapoor: “Remakes can’t be made with just a commercial thought”
For Arjun Kapoor, a remaking of a classic film should only be done if there is a good reason for it and not just for the purpose of commercial or monetary gain.
Reported in the Deccan Chronicle, the ‘Ki and Ka’ (2016) actor told PTI in a recent interview how he feels filmmakers should consider a few points before embarking on such projects.��”Remakes can’t be made with just a commercial thought or for monetary gains. It depends on a lot of things. Who is making it? Why is it being retold? Do we need it? Is it relevant?”
“Remakes are very sensitive, you just can’t pick a film from the past and turn it on the chair. There has to be a concrete reason to why you want to retell the story that has been told before,” says Kapoor.
Of course Kapoor has nothing against remakes, but says it should be done with today’s audience in mind.��”I have nothing against them, but it has to turn out right. For me, ‘Agneepath’ was good, because the original and the new film stand individually in the time they are set.”
The one film that Kapoor would like to remake is that of his uncle Anil Kapoor’s ‘Meri Jung’ (1985), because he doesn’t feel Bollywood has successfully produced a court based film.��”If I have to pick up one film that I would love to retell it would be ‘Meri Jung’. It was about a lawyer. We are still struggling to make a nice courtroom drama in Bollywood.”
Classic Bollywood films have��influenced Kapoor’s decisions as an actor as well as a viewer.��”You are the bi-product of the cinema you watch. Especially, if you are an Indian because they kind of dictate the kind of movies we like now. For me, classics hold a very important place as they define my choices as viewer and as an actor, in different regards,” says Kapoor.
Further adding, “Classics are a reference point in all my decision, but not a conscious one, it’s just there at the back of my mind. Like when I do an ‘Aurangzeb’ I know the concept of double role is something that Indian audience connects with. Even when I do something like ‘Finding Fanny’ I see that no other mainstream actor has done a film like this before.”
The ‘Tevar’ (2015) actor tends to use films from back in the day as reference points before picking up a project, films such as, ‘Mother India’ (1957),��’Sangam’ (1964), ‘Ram Lakhan’ (1989) and ‘Mr India’ (1987), have all had a��huge impact on Kapoor.��”Even today when I am choosing a film like ‘Half Girlfriend’ I know there was a ‘Raja Hindustani’ which had the same language and class barrier. This barrier still exists in society but the treatment has changed.”
Kapoor is currently shooting for his upcoming film ‘Half Girlfriend’ which is slated to release in May 2017.
