Here's looking at 5 Bollywood films that were inspired by Korean cinema
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Just like the OTT boom, there has been a significant growth in the number of people who have switched to Korean entertainment. With K-pop, K-films and K-dramas gaining extensive momentum with the nature of the content they produce, Indians are addicted to global entertainment consumption and we ain't complaining. While K-dramas and films have gained enormous global success in the past few years, Bollywood has been taking inspiration from Korean cinema for quite some time now.
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Knowingly or unknowingly, the Indian audience has been savouring Korean films for many years now through our desi cinema. Be it Kartik Aaryan's Dhamaka which was the remake of The Terror Live or Salman Khan's adaptation of Ode To My Father, which was titled Bharat in India, Korean cinema has inspired our filmmakers widely. Here's looking at 5 films that were inspired by Korean cinema:
Barfi inspired by Lover’s Concerto
Cinephiles noted that a couple of scenes from Anurag Basu's Barfi starring Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D'Cruz were inspired by the Korean film, Lover’s Concerto which was released in 2002. The makers never clarified whether it was a remake or a mere case of coincidence. Barfi was loved by the audience and critics.
Ek Villain remake of I Saw The Devil
Sidharth Malhotra, Riteish Deshmukh and Shraddha Kapoor's Ek Villain (2014) was a remake of the Korean film, titled I Saw the Devil which was released in 2010. However, the Hindi remake failed to live up to the expectations at the box office. The original film was successful for its gore scenes depicting hardcore violence.
Prem Ratan Dhan Payo remake of Masquerade
The Korean film, Masquerade, released in 2012, got a Sooraj Barjatya touch in 2015. It was remade as Prem Ratan Dhan Payo starring Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor among several others. The larger-than-life grand Bollywood film ended up being a major disappointment. Despite the return of the hit jodi of Salman and Sooraj, the remake didn't work. On the other hand, Masquerade is one of the most acclaimed K-films.
Bharat inspired by Ode to My Father
The 2014 Korean film Ode to My Father was the inspiration behind Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif's Bharat (2019). Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, the film garnered a mixed response. The Korean film emphasized patriotism and nationalism, depicting the history of South Korea from 1950 to 2010, whereas the Hindi version included typical elements like dance numbers, machoism and more.
Dhamaka remake of The Terror Live
Kartik Aaryan marked his OTT debut with Netflix's Dhamaka (2021). Directed by Ram Madhvani, the film was an official remake of the 203 Korean film, The Terror Live. As compared to other remakes, Dhamaka was well-made and was appreciated for the performances. The film was lauded for staying true to the subject matter.