The opinions on remaking movies are divided. Some find it easy while others find it challenging.
The key factor in determining its success is capturing the essence of the original film. If the filmmaker can do that, then the remake will be a hit, but if not, it will be a flop. This was the case with the Bollywood film, Selfie.
Selfie is a Hindi remake of the well-received Malayalam movie, Driving License. The Malayalam version was successful in showcasing the characters, their conflicts, and the underlying emotions.
However, the Hindi remake failed to replicate this success. The lead role was played by Akshay Kumar, but the director couldn't create a compelling conflict between him and Imran.
The Hindi version attempted to portray the two characters as arch rivals. This led to the movie's downfall.
While the SRK fans breathe success with Pathan, Akshay left his fans disappointed with Selfie. The movie surprisingly received negative reviews on its release day stating that Akshay and Imran had no clue of what they were doing on screen. This is really the most shocking criticism that Akshay faced ever.
Unlike the Malayalam version, which focused on the story and characters, the Hindi remake relied heavily on Akshay Kumar's stardom.
Although his fans may have enjoyed it, the movie failed to meet Bollywood's standards. It's surprising that a star hero film received such a cold response.
Keeping the criticism of the content aside, the openings for Akshay's "Selfie" were also pretty bad. It is shocking to see this following a blockbuster opening like Pathan for SRK.
It is clear that the audiences are showing interest to watch the films only if they are grand on screen with huge action scenes or sleazy show of heroines.
Only the trailers speak about this. The target demographic is aged between 18 and 24 years, and the theatre business relies heavily on them. In a way, they convey what they actually want.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time for Akshay Kumar. Despite being known as the king of remakes, he couldn't avoid disaster this time by picking up something not worthy to hit theatres with his stardom.
Making 'selfie' a disaster, the audience conveys what they don't want.