In this weekly column, Reel Retake, we compare the original film and its remake. In addition to highlighting the similarities, differences and measuring them on the scale of success, we aim to explore the potential in the story that inspired the idea for a new version and the ways in which a remake could possibly provide a different viewing experience. Can do. And if so, analyze the movie.
The film in focus this week is the Telugu romantic drama film Arjun Reddy (2017) and its Hindi and Tamil remakes starring Kabir Singh and Aditya Varma.
What is Arjun Reddy about?
Arjun Reddy follows its title character, played by Vijay Deverakonda, and his muse Preeti (Shalini Pandey) as they fall in love and fall apart as the latter’s family opposes their marriage. . This simple formula film has acquired a cult status in the film business and is regarded as one of the most authentic and raw depictions of romantic relationships and heartbreak in modern cinema.
Arjun is a surgeon who drinks and intoxicates every occasion. In his past, we are shown that he meets Preeti during her final year in college and falls in love at first sight. Arjun comes across as a bully and very aggressive person but he is a brilliant medical student.
As a result, management ignores some of his disciplinary and anger issues. As Arjuna takes a liking to Preeti, he takes her under his wing. Preeti also gets in trouble for him. Their relationship blossoms during Arjun’s final year in college and he later transfers for further studies. During the next three years, Arjun and Preeti’s relationship grows stronger. Things go awry when Arjun goes to Preeti’s house. Her father sees both of them kissing and throws Arjun out. Preeti’s father immediately opposes her and Arjun’s relationship because of her rowdy behavior and also because they belong to different castes.
Arjun wants Preeti to choose between him and his family or end their relationship. Preeti is then stopped from contacting Arjun. When she finally manages to go to Arjun’s house, she is drunk, injects morphine into herself and falls unconscious for two days. Meanwhile, Preeti gets married to someone else. Arjun comes to know about Preeti’s marriage and goes to her house. She is assaulted and arrested for making a scene. Arjun’s father threw him out of the family home to ruin his reputation.
To cope with heartbreak, Arjun indulges in drugs and alcohol. He becomes a practicing surgeon, gets a dog, names him Preeti and we see him working hard to get ahead in life. Like the college, now he too is fearful among his medical staff. He persuades one of his patients, the heroine of a film, to have a cordial relationship with her. But he falls in love with her. Frightened Arjuna broke it.
On his day off, Arjun reluctantly agrees to undergo a life-saving surgery and collapses from dehydration in the operating room. On examination, traces of alcohol and cocaine were found in his blood sample. He has been charged with negligence and punished for violating professional ethics. Arjun’s medical license is canceled for five years and he is evicted from his flat. Meanwhile, Arjun’s grandmother dies and he goes to visit the family. They make up and Arjun soon gives up his self-destructive habits.
Arjun gives a chance to a pregnant Preeti sitting in a park. Convinced that she is unhappy with her marriage, Arjun confronts her. Preeti revealed that she left her husband after a few days of marriage and continued working in a clinic. She tells Arjun that he is the father of the child, and they reunite and marry.
Where does the potential lie?
Arjun Reddy is more than anything about human emotion in its raw form. Love stories in cinema have always followed a cautious and formulaic path. Thus the heroes, heroines and their acts are enjoyed from afar. But here, the character is immaculate and so is his trajectory. Arjun is a free man and his journey of finding love and losing it is a matter of choice, and we see that he is doing something wrong. But like us, he is flawed and that makes him relatable. So, even during his bout with drugs and alcohol, we root for him and pity him in his moments of loneliness. The character is so well written and deeply rooted in modern existentialism that his shortcomings reflect us. We can’t help but sympathize with Arjun at every turn, even if he is abusive most of the time. Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s directorial style only focuses on stopping Arjun layer by layer and does not comment on him.
Typically, characters with habits are shown in contrast lighting and a decision bubble is created around them. Not so with Arjuna. He lit up naturally in most scenes and loneliness is made his worst enemy, not substance abuse. The film depicts the problems faced by the youth and how in the absence of the right understanding and support from their loved ones and partners, one’s life can come to rock bottom. The compass of morality is swinging freely in the world created by Vanga and this is the appeal of Arjun Reddy. Anything is possible and everything can be forgiven. Lead actor Vijay injects Arjun with the right amount of passion and delivers a forceful performance. On the surface, you see his temper and flamboyant demeanor, which is beautifully played by Vijay, but deep down, he is struggling to make it through the day and the hidden fragility is visible in the main scenes.
As far as Shalini’s acting is concerned, Preeti is once again a never-seen-before character. She is submissive and meek but does not succumb to unreasonable demands, be it Arjuna or his family. Some of Arjuna’s rebellion has struck a chord with him and it certainly requires a naturally balanced actor to remain subtle and restrained in a hyperactive space. His presence may be less in comparison to Arjun but his character has no impact.
Two remakes – Kabir Singh and Aditya Verma
Shahid Kapoor reprized the role of Vijay in the 2019 Bollywood blockbuster Kabir Singh. This brought the Telugu hit to nationwide fame and Vijay and Vanga were well recognized for this cult of storytelling. Shahid’s performance as Kabir is unrestrained, as it was meant to be, and he even takes it up a notch in a few scenes. In one moment, he is hopelessly lost in love, another moment he is angry and willing to risk it all. Kabir’s anger is directed towards the hypocrisy of the society and in order to avert what prevents him, he will risk the people most precious to him. Shahid internalized Kabir, which is an important aspect of hitting the right notes in this performance. Otherwise, it can seem daunting and disjointed. But Kabir and Shahid are almost indistinguishable. He lives out the trauma and anger of the character and we can feel what’s going on inside him, even when he’s not talking out loud about his pain. The character suffers in long silence. The emptiness of the frame in which Kabir lives or how he is marching against the mob shows with novelty how a man who has pitted himself against the system pays the price for the crime. Kabir Singh is a faithful remake of the original and retains the firm belief in the performance and spirit of the main character.
In Aditya Varma, the role is reprized by Dhruv Vikram. The film is largely on the same lines as Arjun Reddy and Vikram are confident in the lead performances. Considering that this is his first film and there is a lot going on with the character, his performance as Aditya deserves praise, even though there is an existing model of acting for Vaanar. Aditya Verma’s dialogues could have been better. It lacked depth and seriousness which brought down the emotional portion of the film to some extent.
success meter
Arjun Reddy launched Vijay into mainstream stardom. The Bollywood remake is Shahid’s highest-grossing film of all time. Furthermore, the music of both the films was a huge success and is talked about and enjoyed apart from the film itself. However, given that most of the film focuses on a character stumbling through life and making all the wrong choices, it doesn’t have much re-watching value. Also the story seems to be one that will lose its edge with time. In an age when such a deep commitment in love would be far-fetched, Arjun Reddy might seem too old for a thought. It is a film that will be enjoyed as long as it plays on the screen but does not leave any thought with the audience. Arjun Reddy’s novelty also lies in the shock value he creates for a corrupt character. This can be overly concerning for some and just offensive to others. Arjun Reddy polarizes the audience. This is also a major factor in why it has been so successful.
read all Breaking Newshandjob breaking news And coronavirus news Here
.