Sequels sans original cast

Disclaimer – As I write this, I would wish to make clear that this article has nothing against Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra. Both are self-made and very talented actors.

Imagine Ramesh Sippy announcing a ‘Sholay 2’ – a sequel. Now forget its main iconic characters. Can you think of anybody else other than AK Hangal playing the part of the Imam in ‘Sholay 2’? Can you imagine anybody else other than Asrani playing the jailer? You cannot and that is the point behind what I am going to write next.

Why do I write this? In a short span of one week, I have read two damaging news bits from Bollywood – a proud announcement of ‘Jolly LLB 2’ and possible casting of ‘Dabangg 3’. Personally, I was looking forward to both of these sequels with huge anticipation, for various reasons. Here are some of them.

‘Jolly LLB’ was a surprise entertainer. It had everything you would look for – a real life incident; an underdog; a strong nemesis; super on-screen clashes and the good emerging victorious over bad. It appealed to the human inside us.

It had a solid tight screenplay coupled with some great dialogues; some of our best courtrooms scene in a long time; some huge screen moments – like the one, where an old man pleads to Jolly, to relieve himself slightly ahead of the footpath, resigned to his fate he only says – “Sahib yahan hamara parivaar sota hai!”

The way Arshad Warsi reacts and stares back with guilt at the old man – and that moment stays with you. That is my point about ‘Jolly LLB’, it had Arshad Warsi. Arshad lived the character. You could feel it. So what do I read in the news that ‘Jolly LLB 2’ will not have Arshad. The director needed a bigger star he got Akshay.

‘Dabangg’ is the stuff of legends. A movie that single-handedly, along with a little help from Tigmanshu Dhulia’s ‘Pan Singh Tomar’ and ‘Sahib, Biwi aur Gangster’ brought back small town culture and chemistry to our movies. Bored by the same New Yorks and Switzerlands in films from Yash Chopra and Karan Johar, my kind of movie buffs dig into ‘Dabangg’. To me ‘Dabangg’ was a great entertainer.

To me ‘Dabangg’ was also a great introducer to that pure voltage of an actress called Sonakshi Sinha. As much as stand up comedians strike at her and as much as purists scoffed at her. Sonakshi brought truckloads off screen presence and attitude to the movie. Chulbul Pandey is half capable minus Rajjo in enticing us.

‘Dabangg 2’s biggest moment was the shopping sequence in the beginning. In fact, after a long time, Salman got a lead actress who matched him after probably Kajol in ‘Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya’ – moment for moment and jibe for jibe. The reason I looked forward to ‘Dabangg 3’ was the pair of Chulbul and Rajjo, read, Sonakshi. Then we hear Sonakshi won’t be here in ‘Dabangg 3’.

Who is the biggest loser here? For sure the audience! We do not have the authority or command to dictate who we want to see. Directors and studios do not necessarily come to us and do an opinion poll. In a way it is good, opinion polls would have ensured we got Danny as Gabbar and the genius of Amjad Khan would have been lost to the world.

But can a director fool around with audience appreciation and take the audience for granted and take such decisions on sequels? For it is the audience decision that made the original a blockbuster hit!
How has ‘Jolly LLB’ become such a big a movie brand to deserve a sequel?

Because we the audience saw great stuff in the movie and the actor who has put his heart and soul into the character in the original. Sure, the director gets the credit but would he have reached that point minus the actor? Ditto for ‘Dabangg’ and Sonakshi. Can you imagine any other actress today delivering – “thappad se dar nahi lagta?” You cannot.

Given the marketing tricks of huge screen releases chances are that ‘Dabangg 3’ and ‘Jolly LLB 2’ will be hit as well.

But as an audience dear Arbaaz and Subhash, minus the two names your movies are like ‘Transformers’ minus Bumblebee. Great brand! No Fizz.

By: Rahul Deo Bharadwaj http://thesocietyasiseeit.blogspot.in