Hindi remake of Suriya's Soorarai Pottru takes off

Sudha Kongara's acclaimed Tamil drama Soorarai Pottru (2020) will now be remade for Hindi-speaking audiences by Vikram Malhotra's Abundantia Entertainment and 2D Entertainment, a film production and distribution company established by the original film's lead actor Suriya. 

The production houses announced the venture today.

The film, which was in the Golden Globe and the Oscar race, is partly inspired by the life of the founder of the regional airline Air Deccan, GR Gopinath. It tells the story of Nedumaaran Rajangam or Maara, who sets out to make flights affordable for the common man and in the process takes on the world's most capital-intensive industry with the help of his family, friends and sheer willpower. The Hindi remake will also be helmed by Sudha, but the cast is yet to be finalized.

Abundantia Entertainment, which is known to back projects that have realistic and impactful themes such as Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017) and the Vidya Balan-starrer Sherni (2021), declared in a statement: "Soorarai Pottru is a film that reflects a similar spirit and essence, hence making it a great and interesting choice for a Hindi remake by the production house."

GR Gopinath, the inspiration behind the original film, is excited about the upcoming remake. “When Sudha first came to me with the idea of telling the story of my journey, I instantly agreed because of the sincerity with which she wanted to make the film as well as about the possibility of my journey inspiring young entrepreneurs, especially from rural towns and villages with meagre resources to chase their dreams and passions. I have been overwhelmed with the response to Soorarai Pottru and now eagerly look forward to the film’s Hindi adaptation," he said.

Stating that the love and appreciation that was showered on Soorarai Pottru was unprecedented, Suriya said, "From the minute I first heard this story I felt this had to be a pan- India film because the soul of it was such. It gives me immense pleasure to partner with Abundantia Entertainment, who have always made quality content, to tell the inspiring story of Captain Gopinath in Hindi.“

Speaking about his company's partnership with 2D Entertainment and the Hindi remake, Malhotra said stories that leave an everlasting impact on the audience interest  Abundantia Entertainment the most. "Our films have always strived to do more than just entertain the fans. We are excited to partner with Suriya, Jyotika and Rajsekar to bring the magic of ‘Soorarai Pottru’ to a newer and larger audience in Hindi and hope to continue delighting our fans with high-quality content. I am also thrilled to work with Sudha who we rate as one of the finest filmmakers in the country and can’t wait for her to take this story to fans of her work across the globe," he said.

Sudha said, "I was instantly drawn to the story of Soorarai Pottru, the story of captain Gopinath, an adventurous maverick and an inspiring entrepreneur who epitomised the New India of the 1990s. I’m grateful for all the love we have received so far and look forward to telling this unique and amazing story in Hindi. I hope this official Hindi remake also gets the same love as the original."

The filmmaker is currently working with a team of writers on the Hindi script. 

Abundantia Entertainment is, meanwhile, preparing for multiple projects including Akshay Kumar's digital debut, In The End, and Ram Setu.