Filmmaker Anushree Mehta, who made her directorial debut with the Radhika Apte starrer – ‘Mrs Undercover’, has been roped in to direct a remake of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s ‘Bawarchi.’ The 1972 film starred Rajesh Khanna and Jaya Bachchan in lead roles.
This remake of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s classic will be the first movie out of a three-film collaboration contract that has been signed between Jaadugar Films and Sameer Raj Sippy Productions. Through this collaboration, the two other classic films that will be remade are ‘Mili’ that starred Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, and ‘Koshish’ by Gulzar.
Speaking to News18 Showsha, Anushree Mehta talked about how grateful she feels for getting this opportunity. The director added that she knows that she has taken a big responsibility as she remakes the classic film. She said, “When my business partner Abir Sengupta (Jaadugar Films), Sameer Raj Sippy, and I decided to join hands to produce these three iconic films, we were clear that we would leave no stone unturned in remaking them with utmost love and respect. During our discussion on ‘Bawarchi’, Abir and Sameer were of the opinion that I should be writing and directing the remake.”
The director also opened up about the approach she will be taking with the remake. She mentioned that she wants to make the film relatable but also a family entertainer. She continued, “The idea of retelling a film is to adapt it according to the current times and make it more relatable to the world we live in today—while keeping the soul and purpose of the original intact. Since ‘Bawarchi’ itself was a remake of a Bengali film, Hrishida in his time recreated it and made it relatable to that era. My attempt is going to be with a similar intention, to retell the classic story of ‘Bawarchi’ in a way that family audiences of all age groups can watch and enjoy the movie together. I’m aiming to create a wholesome, unforgettable family experience.”
‘Bawarchi’ was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film has grown to become a cult classic since its release in 1972.
