Boney Kapoor approves new Mr. India but Sridevi never wanted a sequel or remake

A few days ago, director Ali Abbas Zafar had announced that he will be writing and directing Mr. India 2. The makers of the project clarified that it is not a sequel or a remake of the 1987 classic film but rather a reimagination of the original that starred Sridevi and Anil Kapoor. While Boney Kapoor has already given his nod for the new Mr. India to be made into a franchise, Sridevi had earlier said that she never wanted to do a sequel of Mr. India.

"I don't think that Mr. India can be remade or turned into a sequel. Such a film just happens. When we were working on it, we never thought it would turn out to be such an influential film. Even today, people remember the film, Mogambo, and my character of the talkative journalist. Everything just came together. Such a happy situation is impossible to repeat," Sridevi had said in an interview, according to a report in Asian Age.

Ali Abbas Zafar on his new Mr. India

Zafar is currently working on the script and building the superhero universe and, contrary to reports in sections of the media, he avers that the casting process is yet to begin.

"I have just commenced working on the script, no actor has been locked till now, once the first draft of the script is ready, we will begin the casting process. The film involves massive amounts of pre-production and will go on floor early next year," said the director.

Unconfirmed reports have stated that Ranveer Singh and Shah Rukh Khan might come together for the project.

Zafar's "Mr. India" will be set in a new, relevant and contemporary superhero world. "It is a huge responsibility to carry forward an iconic character that has been loved by Indians for so many years," the filmmaker shared.

Shariq Patel, CEO, Zee Studios, confirmed: "We are excited to have Ali on board for 'Mr. India'. This not a part 2 or a remake of the older film as recently reported in some sections of the media, but a reimagining of the iconic classic."

The 1987 film narrated the story of a poor man (Anil) who gives shelter to orphans. After he accidentally discovers his late scientist father's invisibility device, he uses it to save his children and all of India from the clutches of the villain Mogambo, played with iconic aplomb by the late Amrish Puri.

Mr. India director Shekhar Kapur hints at legal action against the remake

However, Sonam Kapoor, filmmaker Shehkar Kapur, who is known for helming the iconic film "Mr India", has expressed his disappointment over the news of a remake of the movie by director Ali Abbas Zafar.

Shekhar also hinted that he may take a legal action against the makers of the remake.

Director Kunal Kohli on Saturday took to Twitter and wrote: "Javed Akhtar won a hard fought battle for the rights of lyricists and writers. Its time we did the same?"

Responding to Kohli's tweet, Shekhar tweeted: "Yes. It's time to test this legally... Let's do it."

Not only this, Shekhar on Sunday took to social media and posted late actor Amrish Puri's still from "Mr India", in which Puri played the popular villain Mogambo.

Reacting on how Mogambo would have reacted to the news of the film's remake if he was alive, Shekhar tweeted: "Kya Kaha? Mr India 2 ? Is duniya mein koi aur Mogambo bhi hai?"

Shekhar also found it disrespectful for the new makers for not given him the "creative rights" for the remake.

"We sit with writers from day one, but are not the writers. Help actors hone performances but are not actors. Develop and create visual language of film. Slave hours over editing consoles. Directors lead and inspire every aspect of a film and have no creative rights? #MrIndia," Shekhar added.

(With IANS Inputs)