Indian Remake Movies: From Devdas to Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Films With Most Number of Remakes

Indian Remake Movies: The Indian Cinema has achieved its own accord of presenting films with high-octane action, romance, thrill, and nail-biting scenes. From plain romantic flicks to power-packed thrillers, Indian films have made their own mark in the global entertainment industry. Whether we talk about South movies or larger-than-life Bollywood films, every movie is inspired by its replica, and many Indian films are made multiple times in different regional languages due to the astounded praise received by the original plot. 

We have curated a list of Indian films with multiple remakes in different languages receiving much appreciation from the audience. 

Vikramarkudu

Vikramarkudu, a 2006 Telugu action film, was directed by S. S. Rajamouli and stars Ravi Teja and Anushka Shetty. The film was a huge hit and was remade in several languages, including 'Rowdy Rathore' in Hindi, 'Veera Madakari' in Kannada, and 'Siruthai' in Tamil.

Manichitrathazhu

Directed by Fazil, this 1993 Malayalam psychological thriller stars Shobana, Mohanlal, and Suresh Gopi. It depicts the story of a woman who becomes possessed by a spirit, which causes strange occurrences in her home. Its acclaim led to remakes in Tamil (Chandramukhi), Hindi (Bhool Bhulaiyaa), Kannada (Apthamitra), and Bengali (Rajmohol).

Sethu

Sethu, a 1999 Tamil love drama directed by Bala, follows the tragic life of a college student played by Vikram. The film's success led to remakes in Telugu (Seshu), Kannada (Huchcha), and Hindi (Tere Naam).

Gol Maal

This 1979 Hindi comedy, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and starring Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt, is a classic story of mistaken identities and comedic misunderstandings. The film's popularity led to remakes in Tamil (Thillu Mullu), Malayalam (Simhavalan Menon), Kannada (Aasegobba Meesegobba), and Sinhalese (Rasa Rahasak).

Devdas

Devdas, based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s work, has been adapted 16 times over decades. The tragic love narrative has been portrayed iconically in Hindi (by Bimal Roy in 1955 and Sanjay Leela Bhansali in 2002), as well as Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, and Assamese.

Bodyguard

Originally a 2010 Malayalam film directed by Siddique, Bodyguard has been remade in Tamil (Kaavalan), Hindi (Bodyguard), Telugu (Bodyguard), and Kannada.

Pokiri

Pokiri is a 2006 Telugu action film directed by Puri Jagannadh that starring Mahesh Babu as a renegade cop in disguise. Its captivating plot and stunning action sequences made it a smash, prompting remakes in Hindi (Wanted), Tamil (Pokkiri), and Kannada (Porki).

Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana

This 2005 Telugu romantic film, directed by Prabhu Deva and starring Siddharth and Trisha, recounts the narrative of love overcoming social obstacles. The plot inspired remakes in several languages, including Hindi (Ramaiya Vastavaiya), Tamil (Something Something…Unakkum Enakkum), Bengali (I Love You), and more.

Okkadu

Okkadu, a 2003 Telugu action film directed by Gunasekhar, features Mahesh Babu as a kabaddi player who saves a woman from a powerful criminal. It was adapted into Hindi (Tevar), Tamil (Ghilli), Kannada (Ajay), and Bengali (Jor).

Drishyam

Drishyam, directed by Jeethu Joseph, is a 2013 Malayalam thriller known for its riveting story and unexpected plot twists. The film's success prompted remakes in Hindi (Drishyam), Tamil (Papanasam), Telugu (Drushyam), Kannada (Drishya), and many other languages.