Since the beginning of time, human beings have been fascinated by the art of storytelling. While the number of stories told may be innumerable, the same can’t necessarily be said for the types of stories. It is said that there are only as many as thirty-six types of dramatic plots out there and whatever stories exist anywhere around the globe, be it in the form of films, novels, Lollywood remakes, or dramas, and be they originals, sequels, or reboots, they are all a combination of these thirty-six situations.
International cinematic fronts seem to cling to this concept and perhaps due to this reason we are seeing old stories and films being revisited and revived in the form of remakes and sequels. These films not only provide a way to retell old stories with modern sensibilities, but also provide a way to remain connected with the past.
Such endeavors may even revive the careers of forgotten yet talented actors. One such cinematic event happened in Bollywood recently where a film the name of Gaddar from early 2000s saw a sequel that not only proved a highly successful commercial affair but also led to renewed interest in the lead pair Amisha Patel and Sunny Deol, two successful actors of yesteryear Bollywood.
Lollywood Remakes and Sequels in Pakistan
Interestingly the concept of sequels and remakes is not alien to Pakistani cinema and we have seen successful spinoffs and sequels of outings like Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, Lahore Say Aagay, and Wrong Number. And who can forget Bilal Lashari’s The Legend Of Maula Jatt that proved to be a historical and most successful cinematic offering, Pakistani cinema has ever seen. TLMJ may not be the sole example that our producers and directors can turn to. There are countless gems produced by Pakistani cinema that can be revisited with modern sensibilities and be retold to revive our old stories.
Cinema of 90s is remembered more for its non-aesthetic and technically weak films today. But even then, it managed to deliver on its duty of creating a larger-than-life environment inside the cinema halls, and produced stars like Reema, Shaan, Neeli, Babar Ali, and to a good extent, even Javed Sheikh. With the right treatment and a little attention to the stories of this era, the Pakistan film industry 2.0 can benefit immensely in its cause.
Here we quote a few examples of films from the 90s and beyond which can be remade for the new age cinema consumption. Stay with us to see the list of Lollywood remakes:
Choorian
Choorian was one classic film that revived the Punjabi cinema of its time. Starring the iconic Jodi of Moammar Rana and Saima this simple love story set in rural Punjab captured the simple life of a Punjabi village with soulful music and brilliant performances.
The film broke all box office records and was dubbed “Pakistani titanic” of its time as its release coincided with this Hollywood blockbuster. Given the renewed interest in Punjabi cinema post TLMJ a Choorian remake or perhaps a sequel could be a lucrative and interesting cinematic venture.
Jo Darr Gaya Woh Marr Gaya
This 1995 mystery crime-thriller was a blockbuster directed by Iqbal Kashmiri and produced by Sajjad Gul. It was the big screen debut of the evergreen Atiqa Odho who was replacing another veteran, Babra Sharif. Babra by now was pretty much at the end of her career.
Starring Nadeem, Javed Sheikh, and Neeli in the lead roles besides Odho, the film was actually inspired by the 1992 Kevin Spacey starrer Hollywood flick “Consenting Adults,” and received widespread praise.
The interesting fact is that the Bollywood’s hit Film Ajnabee, too, was inspired by the same film and unlike the Hollywood version; which was a big critical and commercial failure, both the desi versions were well received.
By recreating its melodic music, the romance of Nadeem and Odho, and the darkness brought in by the characters of Javed and Neeli, the film could be an interesting and intense romantic thriller, one that Pakistani cinema hasn’t seen in recent years.
Jeeva
Released in 1995, Jeeva was directed by the most successful director of that decade, Syed Noor. It introduced Babar Ali and Resham to big screens and made them huge stars overnight. Shot extensively in Turkey, the film tackled multiple issues like human trafficking and honor killing, along with other problems faced by expat Pakistanis wrapped in a romantic, action-drama.
The film was also screened and garnered praise at various foreign festivals because of its subject. Veteran actor Nadeem played the titular role in it, but it was actually the playback singer Anwar Rafi, who struck gold by singing two hit songs, “Janu Sun Zara” and “Choo Ley Agr”. The film is relevant even in today’s era and could be rehashed into a gripping story for the cine goers of today. We believe Jeeva can top the list of Lollywood remakes and bring audiences back to local cinemas.
Munda Bigra Jaye
Munda Bigra Jaye was undoubtedly one of the most successful films of the 90s. It was a multi-starrer action-romantic-comedy starring Reema, Babar Ali, Sahiba, Jan Rambo, Ismael Tara, and Shafqat Cheema to name a few. The film was directed by Shamim Ara and Written by Dabeer-ul-Hassan.
It remained the highest grossing film for a couple of years until Syed Noor’s Choorian broke its record after its release in 1998. A typical Masala flick capturing various themes from con artists to patriotism and from Drug addiction to Romance, the film was a laugh riot because of the great comic timings of Rambo, Babar Ali and Reema.
Just to give an idea of how big of a success and good of a comedy it was, the film could be compared to JPNAs and Houseful series of today. The basic plot and its blockbuster music could be utilized in creating a remake that could easily attract the masses.
