http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/20raja.htm

"Dear Mr Sanjay Gupta,

I haven't yet had the pleasure of making your acquaintance, but I decided not to let that tiny detail stand in the way of what I feel is an important communication. Let me start by informing you that I have not watched Zinda, and that I do not intend to -– for very specific reasons.

First of all, I haven't yet recovered from the Kaante trauma. Unsuspectingly opting for the film in the UK a couple of years ago, I hadn't heard the Reservoir Dogs buzz at all, and was totally shocked at the blatant lifts from Dogs, Usual Suspects, and even, perplexingly, Swordfish.

Suffice it to say that watching Sanjay Dutt literally translate (and slaughter) Michael Madsen's immortal line ('Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy, or are you gonna bite?') for Amitabh Bachchan's benefit, with English subtitles on screen to emphasise the replication, was one of the most surreal experiences I've ever had in a movie theatre.

Anyway, your latest film has opened to good reviews, and that isn't surprising. Very briefly, during a press conference at the Goa Film Festival last month, you categorically told me you've lifted one scene from Chan-wook Park's astonishing Korean film, Oldboy. The rest of the film, you assure me, is a whole different story. Friends familiar with the original laugh, and rush to declare this not to be the case, and, having watched a few rushes on screen, I am inclined to believe them. Especially given your track record.

The thing, sir, is this. If you take a fascinating scene from a great film and duplicate it frame by frame to the tiniest possible detail, it's a certainty that the finished product will look good. Hence the reviews. I applaud the strides you have taken in terms of slick production values and groundbreaking soundtracks, but the lack of originality in your films is tragic.

What good is your film if it's already been made before? Why the urge to photocopy scripts and storyboards instead of actually writing them? The finished product is an unauthorised remake, a rip-off that claims it's original: a line any member of a DVD library finds hilarious.

We're all told to follow our idols. But when you set out to tread in the footsteps of Quentin Tarantino, you aren't meant to do it as literally. Do what he does, but not by making his films. When Quentin was blown away by Zhang Yimou's Hero, he gushed and raved and brought the film to America, where he delighted scores of film lovers across the country, keeping his gigantic ego in place simply by the 'Quentin Tarantino presents' tag.

Cinema belongs to no one, Mr Gupta, and when we watch a film that excites us, we want to share. There is a school of thought which actually says that you are being altruistic, by remaking films most Indians have never seen, and 'bringing them good cinema.' I disagree vehemently. When Tarantino is thrilled by something like Iron Monkey, he doesn't make a version of it himself, he just makes sure enough people in the US know about it when he re-releases it.

It would be incredible if you pioneered such efforts here in India, ensuring people get to see quirky, incredible, violent, earth-shattering films in theatres, instead of just the standard Hollywood popcorn fare. Get Sanju to redub them in his groovy voice, have rocking press-conferences, talk about why the movie is so special. Fans will freak out. I'll wear a 'Sanjay Gupta Rocks' t-shirt, I swear.

On the other hand, when you watch Mr Park's brilliant film, the one awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, you decide to copy-paste it into a remake as fast as possible (Wow! You've actually beaten Hollywood to it) and slap on a 'Written And Directed By Sanjay Gupta' tag on it. You're spending crores on giving us a cheap, inevitably watered-down knock-off.

We are both fans of Tarantino, and he is nothing if not entirely unique. Kill Bill is a masterpiece, a pastiche of a million films he's loved, but the final product is as novel as it can get, as opposed to being a lift.

Cinema is all about originality, but if individual expression isn't important to you and you are content remaking films you've loved, please speak to the men whose films you adore and get your film certified as a registered remake. You owe them that much, and, more often than not, they'll appreciate your efforts.

As I said, I refuse to watch Zinda. Not just because I've watched and worshipped Oldboy, but I find this style of flagrant plagiarism so reprehensible that I, personally, refuse to endorse it, to give you any of my money by buying a ticket.

You know what the scary thing is, Mr Gupta? I'm not alone.

Sincerely,

Raja Sen"

Thoughts? Comments? I think he's a bit out of line, on some of what he's said, but I do agree with much of it. Anyone else want to say something?

I don't know who this Raja Sen is but he sounds very self righteous and pompous! I thought Zinda was very good and takes guts to make or remake a wide release like that. And I'm begining to get tired of the plagriasm thing. Get over it! Even Quentin Tarantino copies! The day this Raja Sen makes a film that is even half as good as Zinda, then maybe I will take him seriously. It is easy to criticise, try making a film first. The name Khalid Mohammed comes to mind.

Quentin Tarantino's films do owe a lot to other films, but he makes homages that incorporate those influences and result in something unique. He's also very open about his influences. He doesn't do wholesale copies of other films and pass it off as his own work. That's the difference between Tarantino and Sanjay Gupta.

"Guts," yeah right. It takes total creative bankruptcy to do what Sanjay Gupta does.

Unfortunately, I haven't yet seen Zinda (I spent my "movie money" to catch the sub-par Family, instead), and thus am a bit ill-equipped to enter this conversation head-first, but I do have a few thoughts: Sanjay Gupta is a compotent technician-director, but he's a poor story-teller...sometimes. He wrote and directed Khuaff, and it was excellent. The story was intriguingly done (albeit, not really "fresh"), the performances were great, the songs were better than average, etc. Kaante was barely OK. Technically, the film was sound, and the performers were more than commendable. That said, though the film wasn't a "rip-off" in the sense that Ek Ajnabee was a RIP-OFF of man On Fire, it hardly felt original. Watching it, you just knew this wasn't a leap in creativity. I'd comment on Musafir, but I haven't seen it yet, either. Gupta is not a great filmmaker, and, honestly, without a "West" to look to, he'd probably never even have made a film. Really, I think Quentin Tarantino is over-rated as hell (as are both volumes of Kill Bill), but the guy is certainly original. Everything draws inspiration from something, but "creative" things hide their sources well. Personally, I prefer watching "original" stories, and hate to hear that a film I've been looking quite forward to, will actually be an "adaptation" of a Hollywood (or otherwise [but, likely Hollywood]) production. I can't really appreciate "bringing great movies to India" by means of "re-makes," though I could back the idea of importing ideas for actual creative reasons, and not just to fashionably saleable. I loved Aks's incorporation of "American" story-telling methods, while I loathed Ek Ajnabee's plagiaristic attitude. We do, as an industry, seem to be in need of more Hrishikesh Mukherjees, and fewer Sanjay Guptas.

I also do not like copycats and I think Sanjay Gupta did the wrong thing but really it seems people are putting too much blame on Zinda alone. Not many people complained abot Ek Ajnabee or Chocolate (not you commando303). It is one thing to copy but it is even worse if the remake is horrible. My point is that Zinda is not a bad movie in that sense.

and all Bhatt's., YRF inspired crap with names translated too..mere yaar ki shadi hai..if mush, sleeze chalega..if hard hitting, harsh subject nahi chalega..DD, YRF, BHATT etc etc Chalega..SFG nahi chalega!!

They should all be stoned and condemnd together..

Gupta is not the only one that does this, but he is probably the only filmmaker whose career consists mostly, if not wholly, of remakes. Mahesh Bhatt's films these days are often remakes too.

I absolutely hate most of the films that have been coming from Bhatt have been utterly terrible; worse, their "number 1 actor," Emraan Hashmi, is a stain on the acting world. I think "re-makes" are like anything else: they can work, or they can not work. Sholay is a "re-make" the works. It takes a great film (Seven Samurai), and draws inspiration from it. It weaves its own tales, has its own characters, and can stand on its own two feet. Aks, again, is another such case. You don't watch these films — even after watching the "originals" (which, sometimes, themselves, are re-makes) — and think to yourself, "man, why didn't I just watch the Hollywood one again? This shit is a total fucking rip-off." I agree, totally, about the often feasibly-lazy attitude of some filmmakers. It's just easier to adapt scripts and emulate camerawork, than it is to actually come up with stuff; or, perhaps I should say, "stuff that works." To make matters worse, "back in the day," re-makes were less noticeable, as the world was far less a "global community." Nowadays, though, when every next "music video" is a Shammi Kapoor song that's been coated in very "hip-hop" lyrics, and received a totally "Urban-America" makeover, people a very much more aware of when a film has been taken from overseas. Hum Kaun Hai? could have been a great movie, had The Others never been heard of. Well, I'm hungry. Post later; bye.

I don't know who this Raja Sen guy is... but things about quenten tarantiono are totally bull sh*T. Quinten Tarantino or no one in the world could remake a film like HERO. What right does this guy have to blame sanjay gupta for remaking a film?? If HERO was subtitled and with a tag saying SANJAY GUPTA PRESENTS, how many people in india will go watch that film?? Quentan tarantino didn't do the presents tag because of his love for movies.... it was strictly his personal choice because tarantino loves chinese action films and he made millions for the presents tag.

if sanjay gupta is a bad man for remaking films then i have to say half of the directors in the world are bunch of suckers. Mr. Raja Sen , u r nothing but a jealousy prick.


in my personal opinion....... Remake any foreign film so other people in the world can see it and enjoy it. but they should do it in a decent way with giving proper credit to the original makers. so people can watch a GOOD FILM all over the world.

for mr. Raja Sens information...... hey buckooo.... this movie is even getting remade to ENGLISH....get your facts straight before you go on blaming remakes.

such a classic like RIFIFI is getting remade in english.

the new movie with dicaprio and gang (the departed)is a remake of a korean film.

I enjoyed the original version for all these film, and i will defenetly watch the english / hindi version. Not only that, how many people watch foreign films??? remake is the only way for others to see good foreign films. SO i hope you will stop writing for publicity.

Happened to remember this thread after watching Infernal Affairs and The Departed back to back last week.

Have to say there's something about remakes that even renowned and accomplished directors like Scorsese can't get right. The Departed is a very good movie, but the original Infernal Affairs is better in terms of plot depth delivery, characters and the whole story telling experience. The Departed felt a bit disjointed and didn’t feel like Scorsese material at all.

Watch out they’ll be guaranteed bollwood rip lurking out soon.

Ali

amen!

I agree, Internal Affairs is still better than the Departed, which is Scorsese's best film since Goodfellas and one of the few remakes to actually be good. But go tell that to the reviewers on IMDB who have made in number 50 in greatest films of all time, yet Infernal Affairs isn't even in the top 250! It's probably because not as many people have seen Infernal Affairs but I think this is an injustice where a remake appears to be better than the original when it's not.

By the way Scorsese also took from Infernal Affairs 2 for the back story of DiCaprio/Tony Leung's character coming from a gangster family and also had a prisons sequence. Most people don't know this as they haven't seen IA2. All the scenes lifted from IA in the Departed, were done much better in IA, but I think those who haven't seen IA appreciated The Deprated much more as their was nothing to compare to. I felt the death scenes had much more impact in IA than in The Departed.

I'm surprised bollywood haven't done their crappy rip-off for Infernal Affairs yet. As for Sanjay Gupta he is just another talentless director in Bollywood, face it as much as we support bollywood it is littered with majority talentless directors who would rather rip off someone else's work and be shameless enough to say it is their own. There are many like him in India. The only time they will learn is when they are sued...when they lose money. As for Raja Sen, I agree with him and think he was not hard enough on Sanjay Gupta.

Kudos to Raja Sen for putting in words what I have always felt about my namesake Sanjay Gupta. From his very first film 'Aatish', up until his last, 'Zinda', Sanjay Gupta has definately improved as a director, although I am not sure 'director' is the right term to use. Anyhow, every single movie of Sanjay Gupta has been no more than glorified 'trash', except for Kaante and Zinda. The last two mentioned films being the only decent films he has made, infact to be honest I quite enjoyed Kaante and Zinda both, but the fact remains that both these films have very liberally copied from the originals. I have not seen 'Oldboy' so I cannot comment on it, but as for Kaante, it does not hold a candle to 'The Usual Suspects'. As for all his other films, personally I found it hard to even sit thru the B grade crap films made by him. On a lighter note, I remember when I first saw Sanjay Gupta's first film Aatish, upon it's original release in the theater. Aatish was a much hyped and anticipated film at that time. My first thought after the film got over was, there goes my chance of ever being a director with my own name and sadly enough, I could not even pretend to be 'The' Sanjay Gupta of Aatish, since his work was so appalling.

You did mean RESERVOIR DOGS right?

On the topic of Infernal Affairs and The Departed. IMO Departed lacked soul which was so abundant in IA.

********spoiler alert*********

IA was so poetic....so philosophical...it was in the end a movie about redemption. As one of the opening scenes in the movie says there are umpteen hells in Buddhism and one of them is the concept of continous hell. By choosing what he does in the end Andy Lau ends up there but that was his only redemption. Thats brilliantly touching chaps! If you have not seen the movie, an absolute must see. And Departed was reduced to only blood and gore in its climax and what a whimperous ending at that! I totally did not dig it.

Sanjay Gupta - dont intend wasting words on idiots like him.

Kaante also copied some of The Usual Suspects.