New Delhi: Kumar Mangat Pathak’s Panorama Studios and Korea’s Anthology Studios on Sunday announced a partnership for the remake of ‘Drishyam’ franchise in Korea.
This announcement was made at the India pavilion in Cannes Film Festival, in presence of Kumar Mangat and Jay Choi.
Anthology Studios is founded by former Warner Bros local Korean production head, Jay Choi, ‘Parasite’ fame actor Song Kang-ho and acclaimed director Kim Jee-woon.
This would be the first ever collaboration between an Indian and a Korean studio and the first time a Hindi film is being officially remade in Korean language.
‘Drishyam’ is an Indian franchise that has delivered success in every Indian language (Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi) in which it has been made.
A Hindi sequel, directed by Abhishek Pathak, opened on November 18, 2022. It grossed over Rs 360 crore worldwide. Also noteworthy is the Chinese remake of ‘Drishyam’, titled as ‘Sheep Without a Shepherd’, which grossed nearly 200 million US dollar, worldwide.
The 2015 edge-of-the-seat crime thriller, directed by the late Nishikant Kamat, revolves around Vijay Salgaonkar whose simple world splinters after an accidental death involving his family and his desperate measures to shield them from the law. With applause-worthy performances from Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Kamlesh Sawant, the film was a huge success.
Kumar Mangat Pathak acknowledges that ‘Drishyam’ today has become a critically acclaimed and commercially successful franchise with last year's sequel being particularly close to his heart.
“I’m excited that Drishyam franchise is being made in Korean, a first for a Hindi film. This will not only increase its reach outside India but will also put Hindi cinema on the global map. All these years, we have been inspired by Korean fare, now they have found a muse in one of our films. What can be a bigger achievement for the Indian film fraternity,” said Pathak.
Jay Choi is equally upbeat about the collaboration. He says, “We are thrilled to have an opportunity to remake a massively successful Hindi film with a touch of originality from Korean cinema. And the remake has greater significance as the first major co-production between Korea and India. Through our partnership, we will be able to bring the best of both Indian and Korean cinema and make a meaningful remake that is as excellent as the original".
Also of note is the involvement of US-based Jack Nguyen as Executive Producer. He was previously a 30 year executive at Warner Bros in Los Angeles and worked with Kumar Mangat on the WB produced comedy hit, ‘Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge’, and with Jay Choi and his team producing a slate of Korean films including 2016's critically acclaimed blockbuster drama, Age of Shadows.
"I have history with and the utmost respect for these highly-regarded producers so it was a natural fit for me to bring them together to collaborate on a great story in Drishyam. I'm excited to help them make history with this first-of-its-kind Indian-Korean co-production,” shared Nguyen.
Pointing out that the film keeps you hooked with its twists and turns, Kumar Mangat Pathak is confident ‘Drishyam’ franchise will find an audience in Korea and the rest of the world too. “This is the beginning of a valuable cultural exchange between both countries and their film industries,” he added. (UNI)
