‘Chashme Buddoor' goes head to head with remake

More than three decades after it was first released, Sai Paranjpe's cult classic 'Chashme Buddoor' will woo Indian audiences again on April 5, the same day its modern-day remake opens in cinemas.

Part of Indian pop culture since 1981, director Paranjpe's brand of satirical comedy in the film has found many fans over the years.

'Chashme Buddoor' stars Farooq Sheikh, Ravi Baswani and Rakesh Bedi as three friends whose hare-brained scheme backfires. Female lead Deepti Naval's detergent-selling ‘Miss Chamko' has been often referenced by movie aficionados.

"Earlier we had decided to release it one week ahead and then decided to do it on the same day because the buzz will be maximum during that time," said Shiladitya Bora, head of Director's Rare, an alternative programming wing of the PVR multiplex chain.

The 2013 remake of the film is directed by David Dhawan with Ali Zafar and Taapsee Pannu in the lead roles.

"It will benefit both the films - the old and the new," Bora told Reuters.

The remake has the soul of the original film but has been tailored to today's Indian audience, actor Ali Zafar told Reuters in an interview in February.

Bora said it would be unfair to compare the two films because the original 'Chashme Buddoor' opens in limited release for a niche audience unlike Dhawan's remake.

Director's Rare also re-released Kundan Shah's 1983 film 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro' last year.

The film got a good response, encouraging them to attempt more re-releases, Bora said.