'Student No 1' to 'Maryada Ramanna': Films that prove that Indian cinema should be grateful to SS Rajamouli

Hyderabad: It was just a few days ago that the much-hyped ‘Bahubali’ opened to a thunderous response at the box office, receiving rave reviews courtesy its highly compelling screenplay and well fleshed out characters. The film’s success has once again highlighted that SS Rajamouli is quite an expert when it comes to transforming simple storylines into engaging /compelling narratives.

Now, it seems that ‘Bahubali’ may soon be remade in English by a leading studio. If the attempted remake falls in place it ‘Bahubali’ will end up joining a long list of Rajamouli films which have been remade in other languages.

Here is a look at some Telugu films directed by the ‘Nan Ee’ filmmaker which have been remade.

Student No 1: Touted as a musical-drama, ‘Student No 1’ revolved around the strained relationship between a young man and his father. Boasting of some commendable performances, the film proved to be a runaway hit at the box office, giving Junior NTR his first taste of commercial success. Released in 2001.

‘Student No 1’ was later on remade in Tamil as ‘Student Number 1' with Sibiraj in the lead. Unfortunately, the remake bombed at the ticket window.

Chatrapathi: Generally regarded as one of the most significant releases of the ‘Rebel’ star Prabhas’ career, ‘Chatrapathi’ created quite a stir amongst movie buffs courtesy its gripping action sequences and catchy tunes. Enjoying a 100 day run in several centres, the film was remade in Kannada and Bengali. While Siddanth starred in the Kannada version, its Bengali remake featured veteran actor Prosenjit Chatterjee in the lead.

Vikramarkudu: Best remembered for Ravi Teja’s lively onscreen antics, ‘Vikramarkudu’ revolved around the exploits of a petty crook. Released in 2006, the film opened to packed houses, sending the mass maharaja’s fans into a state of frenzy. ‘Vikramarkudu’ was thenremade in Hindi (‘Rowdy Rathore’), Bengali (‘Ulta Palta’), Tamil (‘Siruthai’) and Kannada(‘Veera Madakari’).

Magadheera: A trendsetter in every sense of the word, this highly ambitious historical drama revolved around the intriguing concept of reincarnation. Featuring Ram Charan, Kajal Aggarwal and Srihari in the lead, the film fared very well at the box office, ushering in the era of mega budget projects. It was remade in Bengali as ‘Yoddha’ with Dev reprising Ram’s role from the original. However, unlike the original, the remake proved to be a commercial and critical disappointment.

Maryada Ramanna: Revolving around two lovers who hail from warring families, this action-comedy featured Sunil and Saloni Aswani in the lead roles. Just like the previously mentioned ‘Vikramarkudu’, ‘Maryada Ramana’ has been remade several times. While Santhanam starred in the Tamil version, Komal Kumar essayed the lead role in the Kannada remake. Interestingly, it was also remade in Hindi and Malayalam. Dileep starred in the Malayalam version which was tilted ‘Ivan Maryadaraman’. On the other hand, the Hindi remake was titled ‘Son of Sardaar’ and featured Ajay Devgn in the lead.