Every time you sit back on your couch and plan to surf through the various music channels , the one thing that your frequently come across are the remixed songs. A remix here and a remix there, it seems to be a never ending world of remixes. You even have a plethora of so called DJs, who have started off this revolution and more surprisingly its catching up with the people as well. Remixes are a rage and you have every song being remixed, be it the classical - Saiyyan Dil Mein Aana Re or the one of the latest - Aadat from Kalyug.

Although remixes are pretty old, the latest thing doing the rounds is the remakes. This time, not the music, but the movies are getting redone. We saw a shift of technology with Mughal-E-Azam and viewers getting a chance to see Madhubala dazzle in her divine brilliance in colorful costumes, a feat which would have made K.Asif proud. But thats a different story. Coming back to the remakes we have a lot of films of yesteryears going to the floors once again. The reason, which every director states is that - “I was fascinated by this movie in my childhood and always wanted to remake it when I join the Industry someday”. Now come on, can’t we have any other reason like - “My father always wanted me to remake this movie” or may be - “Its a gift for my mother who was my source of inspiration”...anything is welcome for the sake of remaking

The question which still plays on in my mind is why the need to remake. Is it because the writers have run out of ideas or is it because, they still believe that the old movies can be made better by them. In that case, why take only movies that were big hits or successes. Why not try with movies that didn’t have their run at the Box Office in a big way. Would anyone care to remake - “Deedar E Yaar” or maybe the more recent “Mr.Prime Minister”. Any takers...The answer is a big No

Which brings me to the list of some of the films which have been redone - Don, Umraao Jaan, Sholay to name a few. Don was with SRK in the lead role. It was tough to imagine anyone replacing the Big B. I still did not visualise SRK swirling in his chair, cigar in his mouth and blurting out - “Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi, namumkin hai”. But then SRK did it in his own style and he just redefined the way Don looked. It was also hard to imagine a film called Umrao Jaan being remade with Aish,Abhi in the lead. Rekha, Khayyam and Asha Bhonsle being replaced by Aish,Anu Malik and Alka Yagnik. And as we all know, neither Abhi nor Ash did justice to their famous earlier counterparts.

Come what may, the film industry seems to be set for the new success (only time will tell) formula. People will have the originals at the back of their mind when they walk in to catch a glimpse of the movie. Will the new ones be a success. If it does, it might just start off a new trend in Bollywood. Else as they say - Originality Sells. All the best to the Directors of the Remaking Era !!!