‘Remaking a comedy is easier’: Ayushmann Khurrana on the pros and cons of adapting AndhaDhun in another language

Box-office results have made remakes a tried-and-tested formula. Bollywood and the South film industry choose to reprise projects that they feel will appeal to the local audience. Recently, Tamil actor Siddharth expressed the desire to remake Tabu and Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer AndhaDhun, which was directed by Sriram Raghavan. The comic thriller revolved around a blind pianist, who gets entangled in the murder of a former actor. It wasn’t just a critical success but also made moolah at the box office, too. 

A SUCCESS FORMULA?

We asked the film’s lead actor, Ayushmann, whether he thinks remaking a movie like this would work. “Yes and no,” he says, adding, “See, Shubh Magal Saaavdhan was the remake of a South film. It worked at the box office and for me, too. The same can happen with AndhaDhun.” 

Weighing in on the pros and cons, he says, “The audience is different, but at the same time, the film is out in the public domain — in cinemas and on digital platforms where subtitles are available. Also, thriller is a different genre. Remaking a comedy is easier because it’s the difference between the language that gives you more scope to build on. However, with a thriller, it’s a situation that any person can understand. It would be difficult to reinterpret it in an entirely new way. A lot of people would have consumed it already. And Sriram has a fan base down South, too. It will be a challenging job. Having said that, Siddharth is a competent actor and he would fit the bill completely.”

SEQUEL FUNDAS

A while ago, there was also speculation about taking the journey of Akash, the blind pianist, ahead. Ayushmann says, “I think we have exploited each and every possibility of how a blind man can con or behave in certain situations. I don’t see anything more happening there, unless Sriram comes up with another crazy idea for a sequel. The idea will have to be equally bizarre and crazy, if not more.”