Twenty-six years ago, a Telugu film was released that would go on to achieve remarkable success not just in its original language, but across India. Made on a budget of approximately ₹4 crore, this movie sparked a wave of remakes, adapted into nine different languages. While eight of these versions became hits, one failed to recreate the magic of the original. This demonstrates the power of compelling storytelling and its ability to transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries.
The trend of remaking South Indian films in other languages, particularly Hindi, has gained considerable momentum over the years. Several Telugu films have been remade in multiple languages. This includes action films and comedy-dramas. These remakes often feature leading stars from the respective film industries, bringing their own unique style and interpretation to the narrative. While the core storyline usually remains the same, some adaptations may tweak the plot or incorporate local cultural nuances to better resonate with the target audience.
One example includes the Telugu film Raghavendra, a 2003 action movie, which was remade in Bengali as Lover No. 1 and in Hindi as Rocky: The Rebel. Another instance is Ready, a Telugu action-comedy-drama, remade in Kannada, Tamil and Hindi. Vikramarkudu, an action film released in 2006, was remade in Kannada, Tamil, Bengali and Hindi.
Akshay Kumar is set to star in the Hindi remake of the Telugu blockbuster Sankranthiki Vasthunam. The original Telugu film, starring Venkatesh Daggubati and directed by Anil Ravipudi, was a success during the 2025 Sankranthi season. Dil Raju will produce the Hindi version under his Sri Venkateswara Creations banner, marking a foray into Hindi cinema. Bheems Cecirolio will be the music director.
The upcoming Tamil film Jana Nayagan, starring Vijay, is reportedly a remake of the 2023 Telugu film Bhagavanth Kesari.
The success of a remake often hinges on several factors, including the quality of the original content, the cultural relevance of the story in the new context, and the star power and performance of the cast. While some remakes achieve resounding success, others may fail to capture the essence of the original, leading to disappointing box office results. The film industry continues to explore stories that resonate with diverse audiences, and the trend of adapting successful films into new languages is expected to continue.
