Classics cannot be remade: Ravi Chopra

By Radhika Bhirani

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) Bollywood producer-director Ravi Chopra feels that remakes of classics are bound to lack the essence of the original and says he will never remake any films of his legendary father, B.R. Chopra.

"A classic film cannot be remade," Ravi Chopra told IANS here. The maker of such films as "Baghban" and "Baabul" was in Delhi to launch his new television series "Sujata", which will be aired on Sony TV April 14 onwards.

Chopra feels that whoever remakes a film is a "mentally bankrupt person".

"It is very rare that filmmakers make a classic film. To be able to make one, everything has to be managed at the right time, place and with the right characters," he said.

Director Ram Gopal Varma had remade "Sholay" in 2007, and it bombed at the box office. Chopra pointed out that Amitabh Bachchan and Amjad Khan's performance in the original could never be repeated with the same essence.

Chopra asserted that he would never remake any of his father's films.

B.R. Chopra has produced and directed hit films like "Ek Hi Rasta" and "Naya Daur". He was also the man behind popular television series "Mahabharat", based on the Hindu epic.

"When remakes are made, the audience tends to make undue comparisons and when a classic is remade, people try to seek the same sort of flavour that existed in the original," Ravi Chopra said.

His forthcoming film "Bhootnath", based on the relationship of a child with his deceased grandfather, is set to release May 9.

"'Bhootnath' is a very different kind of film. Basically, it is a fun film about a child and I hope the audience appreciates it," he said.

Aman Siddiqui plays the child's role in the film alongside Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla.

Chopra feels that Indian audiences have now begun to accept a wide range of films rather than being open only to specific genres.

While the audience appreciates a film like "Race", it also loves a good film like "Munnabhai M.B.B.S", he said.

Chopra, however, thought Abbas-Mustan's thriller "Race" was "much ado about nothing".

"I have no personal bias against the film, but I feel it was a little confusing. Besides, I am just trying to say that the audience is ready to accept every sort of film today," he said.

Four films from Chopra's production house, B.R. Films, are in the pipeline. These include "Kohinoor", "Pocket Maar", "Dosti" and "Betiyaan".

He added that two more soaps are on the anvil that would air on Sony TV and Sahara TV.

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