Tollywood to Bollywood – Hindi Remakes of South Indian Movies

Bollywood Movies inspired from the South

Bollywood Movies inspired from the South

The growing trend of Tollywood remakes in Bollywood has urged me to question the existent potentiality of the Hindi Cinema. There has been a sudden hike in the number of Hindi movies drawing inspiration from the south. A few years back, Bollywood was known to be the source of inspiration for the Telugu/Tamil film industry and most of the Hindi blockbusters were later remade in Tollywood. Perhaps, it is the game of time which has led to the role reversal that we see in the trends of film making today in Bollywood.
Over the past few years, the film makers in bollywood have largely turned to the South for making a successful Hindi film. Surprisingly, every Bollywood film which has been inspired from the South has broken the Box-office records. So now, every time a film does well on the box-office, one can be sure of it being a remake of a South-Indian film. Films like Ghajni, Rowdy Rathore, Ready, Singham, Ramaiyya Vastavaiyya etc. are some of the best exemplars of south inspired movies which fared mightily well on the box-office.

Transforming a film of a different film industry into an entertaining Bollywood film often drops the true essence of the original. The kind of Masala a South-Indian film carries can never be seen in a Bollywood film. Most of the Tollywood films are formula movies with high-octane action, a super-hero who could fight hundred men at a time, a sultry heroine who tries to woo the hero and of course an item number. Such a film, when remade in Bollywood, only runs on the brand value of the star.

No matter how successful a southern-remake in Bollywood becomes, there will always be a question in mind as to why do the directors even need to take inspiration from another film industry? Why can’t they produce something unique and original on their own? Does this mean that the South-Indian film makers are far more talented than those in Bollywood or is it simply because of the laziness of the Bollywood film-makers to think hard about an original script? Well, whatsoever the reason may be, one thing is quite evident that this trend is going to continue for quite some time in Bollywood.

At the end of the day, an entertaining film is what the audience wants! And as long as it entertains them, who minds a remake?

Here is a list of some of the films which have drawn inspiration from the south:

1. Ghajini (2008)-Ghajini (2005)
2. Rowdy Rathore-Vikramarkudu (Telugu)
3. Ready-Ready (Telugu)
4. Singham-Singam (Tamil)
5. Bodyguard-Bodyguard (Malayalam)
6. Force-Khakha Khakha (Tamil)
7. Rammaiya Vastavaiyya-Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana (Telugu)
8. Wanted-Pokkiri (Telugu)
9. Ekk Deewana Tha-Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya (Tamil)
10. House Full 2–Mattupetti Machan (Malayalam)/ Banda Paramasivam (Tamil)
11. Boss (2013)-Pokkiri Raja (2010) (Malayalam)
12. Drishyam (2015)-Drishyam (Malayalam)
13. Akira (2016)-Mouna Guru (Tamil)
14. Ok Jaanu (2017)-OK Kanmani
15. Bhool Bhulaiya (2007)-Manichithrathazhu (Malayalam)
16. Garam Masala (2005)-Boeing Boeing (Malayalam)
17. Hulchul (2004)-Godfather (Malayalam)
18. Saathiya (2002)-Alaipayuthey (Tamil)
19. Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein (2001)-Minnale (Tamil)
20. Nayak (2001)-Mudhalvan (Tamil)
21. Hera Pheri (2000)-Ramji Rao Speaking (Malayalam)

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