That ’70s charm: Anushree Mehta to adapt celebrated retro classics 'Koshish', 'Bawarchi' and 'Mili'

Gulzar and Hrishikesh Mukherjee

It wouldn't be wrong to say that the '70s cinema was the polar opposite of today's offerings, their slice-of-life stories in stark contrast to our current trend of larger-than-life movies. And who captured the joys and anguish of everyday life on screen better than the late Hrishikesh Mukherjee, and Gulzar? In an attempt to remind viewers of the charm of human dramas, Mrs Undercover director Anushree Mehta and her business partner Abir Sengupta are revisiting the noted filmmakers' classics - Mukherjee's Bawarchi (1972) and Mili (1975), and Gulzar's Koshish (1972).

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The duo are teaming up with producer Sameer Raj Sippy, grandson of late producer NC Sippy, who had originally backed the three gems. Mehta says the decision to adapt the classics came from a personal space. "It is a huge responsibility as Koshish, Bawarchi and Mili are celebrated in India and across the globe. Gulzar saab and Hrishi-da set the standards of filmmaking for generations to come," she shares. To Sengupta, the remakes are a way of introducing the new generation to the magic of the past. He says, "These are the films we have grown up on and that the new generation should also witness, to know our rich cinematic legacy."

The three adaptations are currently in the development stage. Once the scripts are locked, the makers will finalise the cast and the directors. With the remakes, Sippy says the idea is to retain the essence of the original stories while viewing them through a contemporary gaze. "We want to take the stories and bring them in today's scenario, with a modern outlook."