David Lagachu
10. Raincoat (2004)
Based on O. Henry’s short story ‘The Gift of the Magi’, Rituparno Ghosh’s first Hindi film ‘Raincoat’ is a reservoir of emotions. The film has a very melancholy disposition yet towards the end it also exhibits redeeming qualities. Two former lovers meet on a rainy day and old wounds begin to resurface; the film is contemplation on one’s life choices and poses the question – what if things had gone in a different way. ‘Raincoat’ was well reviewed by many American film critics and was a front-runner for the top honour at quite a few film festivals around the world. Hollywood can cook up a passionate love story of its own by taking the source of the film and adapting it into an American landscape. The film’s story gives ample opportunities to the actors to act their heart out and it could turn out to be one of those Hollywood movies with strong performances that dominate the awards season.
9. My Name Is Khan (2010)
Karan Johar’s most serious film till date – ‘My Name Is Khan’ – highlights the plight of Indian immigrants living in the U.S. post 9/11 through the story of two individuals; Rizwan Khan and Mandira. The film follows a very ‘Forrest Gump’ style of narration and is a bit larger than life at times but at the core there is a human story of love, pain, loss and hope. Hollywood has made many films based on 9/11 but always from a narrow point of view and tells only one side of the story. ‘My Name Is Khan’ gives a look into the other side; of how the unfortunate incident made innocent people suffer only because of their ethnicity and skin colour. The film is both thought-provoking and hard-hitting. Not to forget how relatable it is as it does not talk about big political theories but rather focuses on the matters of heart. ‘My Name Is Khan’ was distributed by FOX worldwide and they can easily plan a Hollywood version of the film if they wish too.
8. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
It is said that Yash Chopra and Aditya Chopra wanted Tom Cruise as the male lead for the film as they were planning a multi-cultural love story of an international standard. However they finally zeroed in on the idea of a NRI hero with Shah Rukh Khan as the lead. The good thing is that the makers can still materialize their initial idea into reality with their own banner YRF Entertainment which was one of the producers of the Nicole Kidman starrer TV movie ‘Grace of Monaco’. Tom Cruise may be a bit too old to play a romantic lead now but there is no dearth of Hollywood actors who can fit into the shoes of Raj. Amidst all the debate of minority representation going on in Hollywood a remake of ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ will be the perfect film for the current scenario. Any suggestions for who should play Simran are most welcome.
7. Udaan (2010)
Vikramaditya Motwane’s coming of age film ‘Udaan’ hits so close to home that you are almost inspired to revisit your own adolescence. The film gets all the emotions right; be it the sexual awakenings or the insecurities of a being a regular teenager. The camaraderie between the father (Ronit Roy) and the son (Rajat Barmecha), and the scenes featuring them talking about the good, the bad and the ugly constitute the best moments of the film. ‘Udaan’ has an indie feel to it but its effect is universal as is witnessed in the positive reactions that it garnered post its screening at Cannes. The box office verdict hardly did justice to the ingenuity of ‘Udaan’ but like any good work of art its value has only increased with the passage of time. ‘Udaan’ deserves a Hollywood remake as it is such a gem of a film which has the capacity to enthrall a global audience.
6. The Lunchbox (2013)
Ritesh Batra who earned international fame with his debut directorial feature ‘The Lunchbox’ has made his inroads into Hollywood with his two English language films; ‘The Sense of an Ending’ and ‘Our Souls at Night’. It won’t be a wrong decision if he ever decides to remake his first film ‘The Lunchbox’ for a wider audience. The film’s story has all the pre requisites of a meaningful cinema which will go down well with artsy audiences worldwide. There is something very primal in the relationship between a middle-aged man and a young married woman who touches your heart and makes you invest emotionally in them. They never meet in the film and exchange communications via letters stuffed inside a lunchbox. This unique love story deserves to be seen by more and more people and a Hollywood remake is the right way to go by.
