Jaane Jaan: 5 Indian remakes inspired by East Asian films

Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan is back in a new avatar as a single mother who is embroiled in a murder investigation in the Netflix film Jaane Jaan. The film is directed by Sujoy Ghosh, who is best known for helming critically-acclaimed hits such as Jhankaar Beats and Kahaani, and it is adapted from the Japanese novel Keigo Higashino, titled The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino. Unlike previous adaptations of the novel such as the 2008 Japanese film Suspect X, the 2012 Korean film, Perfect Number, or the eponymous 2017 Chinese film, the story is told from the perspective of the female protagonist rather than the neighbour. Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma play other important roles in the mystery thriller. For today’s List Hai Toh Hit Hai podcast, we take a look at Indian remakes of East Asian films

Bharat (2019) - Prime Video

Loosely based on the South Korean drama Ode to My Father directed by Yoon Je-kyoon, the 2019 film Bharat is a Bollywood film helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar. The film stars Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover, and Jackie Shroff in prominent roles, and the film explores the human stories impacted by the India-Pakistan partition. The film is set across multiple timelines between 1947 and 2010 and is an inspiring story that explores the incredible power of faith.

Zinda (2006) - Sony LIV

The 2006 film Zinda stars Sanjay Dutt, John Abraham, Lara Dutta and Celina Jaitly in lead roles, and it is directed by Sanjay Gupta. The film is an unofficial remake of the iconic South Korean film Oldboy, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. The plot follows a man’s quest for vengeance against his captors who imprisoned him without explanation for 14 years. While the Hindi remake may have been unable to replicate the quality of the original, it certainly makes for an entertaining film.

Ugly Aur Pagli (2008) - Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, MX Player, and free on YouTubeOne of the most iconic South Korean films to have garnered global recognition is the 2001 romantic comedy My Sassy Girl – a film that has inspired several official and unofficial remakes across the globe. The unofficial Hindi remake Ugly Aur Pagli, which released in 2008, stars Ranvir Shorey and Mallika Sherawat in lead roles. The plot revolves around Shorey’s character Kabir, a struggling engineering student, who loves to party. His life turns upside down when he meets the free-spirited Kuhu. Unbeknownst to him, Kuhu has devious and hilariously sadistic plans to make Kabir run around in circles, as she hopes that putting someone else through misery will help her cope with her own trauma.

Jazbaa (2015) - ZEE5

The 2015 Hindi film Jazbaa features a star-studded ensemble that includes Aishwarya Rai and Irrfan Khan in lead roles with Shabana Azmi, Jackie Shroff, Atul Kulkarni and Chandan Roy Sanyal playing supporting roles. The plot revolves around the plight of a renowned lawyer who is blackmailed into defending a sex offender in court after her daughter is kidnapped by the blackmailer. The film is a remake of the 2007 South Korean film Seven Days and it is directed by Sanjay Gupta.

Ek Villain (2014) - Disney+ Hotstar

The crime thriller Ek Villain was a blockbuster hit when it was released in 2014. The film is helmed by Mohit Suri and stars Sidharth Malhotra in the lead as a reformed gangster Guru who decides to lead a new life after falling in love with Shraddha Kapoor’s character Aisha. However, his peaceful life is short-lived when Aisha is murdered by a serial killer, who is played by Riteish Deshmukh. The film is a remake of the 2010 South Korean film I Saw the Devil, which received widespread acclaim.

Well that's all we got for today's episode, until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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Written by Ryan Gomez

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