It’s difficult to recreate the same emotion in remakes: Aamir Khan

Khan says if he ever goes for a remake, it will be for the sake of reliving moments of the films that excite him.


Ians September 06, 2010

MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is so fond of films from the 1950 and 1960s that he wishes he was an actor in that era, which he describes as the golden period of Indian cinema.

“To me the 1950s and 1960s were the golden period of Indian cinema. During that time creative talents - be it directors, actors, lyricists, composers, writers - every department used to be excellent,” Khan told reporters on Saturday night at PVR Phoenix Mill, where he attended the screening of the Shammi Kapoor-starrer Teesri Manzil.

“I think that people during that time were more passionate about filmmaking,” he said.

“All the old films I see, I feel that I should have worked in them. Teesri Manzil, Guide ... the list is unending. They are so fantastically made. I wish I was born during that period,” he added.

The actor was all praise for the radio station’s initiative for screening Indian classics.

“It’s a great opportunity for the youngsters today to see these films, made by such talented people, great artistes, performers, directors, writers and composers. This is actually our treasure,” said Khan.

Talking about his work in the remake of Tamil hit Ghajini, Khan said, “It’s difficult to do a remake because the originals are made with such emotion that it becomes difficult to recreate the same emotion. When you come to compare it, a remake can never meet the level of its original version. But there is always an excitement of an artiste,” said Khan.

The 45-year-old actor said his 1991 hit Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin was an adaptation of a Hollywood film It Happened One Night.

“I worked in a remake of Ghajini. It was originally made in Tamil, which we remade in Hindi, but it was not an old film. In 1934, Hollywood director Frank Capra had made It Happened One Night. I read the script from collections of screenplays and I liked it so much that we adapted it and remade Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin,” said the actor.

The actor maintains if he ever goes for a remake again, it will be for the sake of re-living moments of the film that excite him.

“Everyone has their own reasons to remake a film, but if I ever make a remake then the reason would [be that] the material, the story, the characters, the moments of that film excite me so much that I want to experience them personally as a creative person and if possible then would interpret in my own way.

“Look at Shakespeare plays, they are still performed. Different groups make their independent adaptation of his plays. I think when we try to remake one, we pay respect to that creation like a tribute,” said Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2010.

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