Hrishikesh Mukherjee's iconic Anand, starring Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan, to be remade

Anand (1971) is considered one of the best films of the late Rajesh Khanna. The Hrishikesh Mukherjee classic continues to live on in the hearts of Hindi cinema lovers for its simplicity, narrative and performances with a liberal sprinkling of the filmmaker's magic and style.

50 years of Anand (1971): How music shaped Hrishikesh Mukherjee's tearjerker

The film’s dialogues, written by Gulzar, continue to be part of pop culture even today, a clear indicator that over five decades on, Anand continues to be relevant.

The film was produced by the late NC Sippy. Now his grandson, Sameer Raj Sippy, has decided to remake the film with producer Vikram Khakhar.

Sameer Raj Sippy said, “Keeping in mind the sensibilities of the original film and the emotions attached, I felt the current generation needs to be retold many stories that are so relevant today, specially when there is a great appetite for good content.”

The remake is currently at the scripting stage. The director and the cast are yet to be decided.

Producer Khakhar added, “Digging into our own classics, we will find invaluable gems, rather than scouting for stories internationally or regionally. Placing Anand in the post-COVID era, where we emphasize the value of life, will enhance the story.”

However, several fans of the movie were upset with the news. Netizens said such classics ought not to be touched. People wondered if the songs from the film, written by Gulzar and composed by the great Salil Chowdhury, or the performances of artistes like Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan and Lalita Pawar could ever be matched.

Of course, time will tell if the remake lives up to the original. The immediate point of interest is to see who will step into Hrishikesh Mukherjee's shoes and who will be part of the cast.