Sequels and remakes are in vogue already in Tamil cinema. Even so, there is palpable excitement over the prospect of another big remake, this time by cinematographer turned filmmaker Suresh Chandra Menon who is tackling his cult classic thriller Pudhiya Mugham. The original movie had marked his acting debut in which he also shared screen space with Revathi in the lead. It was made 25 years ago and subsequently Suresh Menon and Revathi became real life partners.
The main draw of the film was AR Rahman's fabulous music, which was critically acclaimed and the songs garner huge ratings whenever aired on television even now. Retaining the core theme and essence of the original, Suresh is said to be making a few changes. The remake will be a bilingual in Tamil and Telugu. John Max of Shalom Studios, who made award winning movies like Mynaa and Saatai, is bankrolling the project. We hear that Ravikaanth of the 22 Studios banner is the man instrumental in ideating the entire project and he also doubles up as a co-producer.
Pudhiya Mugam was received well for its quirky theme, telling the story of an assassin who undergoes plastic surgery and becomes a member of the Indian Army and a hero in society. Sources confirm that Menon is in the process of fine-tuning the script to go with the modern day taste of audiences. He will not be a part of the cast. But, besides wielding the megaphone, Suresh will also crank the camera for the remake as the movie was also talked about and admired as a visual extravaganza. Suresh was quoted saying that it will be fun and a new experience to remake his own film although the responsibilities are huge.
Apparently, Menon is also back to donning the grease paint. His plate is now full with the Pongal release of Thaana Serndha Koottam, Junga, a film with Bharath and 4G. Besides the lead pair, the original movie featured Vineeth, Kasthuri and Nasser in crucial roles. Cast and crew for the new film is being worked out.
