Poor Amit Mehra. When he decided to launch his career as producer with a remake of his father the illustrious Prakash Mehra’s <em>Zanjeer</em> he didn’t know the stumbling blocks ahead would almost destroy his fledgling career.

Noted filmmaker David Dhawan is not able to come to terms with the fuss being created over his remake of the 1980 classic <em>Chashme Baddoor</em>.

Director duo Abbas-Mustan will helm UTV Motion Pictures’ Hindi remake of the Tamil hit Vettai that would feature Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham in the lead. Confirming this, Mustan said, ”Yes, UTV has indeed signed us to direct the film. And Abhishek and John will play the leading roles in it. We are yet to decide on the leading ladies.” It is being said in film circles that UTV Motion Pictures which worked with the director duo on Race 2 was happy about their work and subsequently decided to sign them for the remake.

Looks like with every remake, today’s senior citizens remember their olden days when they used to revel seeing the originals. A similar thought might erupt just with the news that the 1972 hit film <em>Seeta Aur Geeta</em> is set to be remade. And to play the double role that Hema Malini reprised in the Ramesh Sippy directed film, is Katrina Kaif. <em>Seeta Aur Geeta</em> featured Hema Malini, Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar in the lead roles.

Some time ago, we had reported that Venus Records and Tapes has bought the remaking rights of Anik Dutta’s hit Bengali film <em>Bhooter Bhobhishyot</em> that was about spirits who inhabit an old Kolkata mansion under threat from land sharks. The latest is that Ratan Jain has signed Anupam Kher, Sharman Joshi, Mahie Gill, Saurabh Shukla and Parambrata Chatterjee for the film. While Parambrata will reprise the role he played in the original, Kher will play the owner of the mansion while Mahie will play the actress in the Hindi version.

The war between the remake and original just got hotter. In an overnight decision PVR Films have decided to refurbish and re-release the original <em>Chashme Buddoor</em> directed by Sai Paranjpye on same Friday April 5 as David Dhawan’s remake. This decision has surprised many from David’s team.

Since the last twelve years, Abhishek Bachchan has been turning down remakes of his father’s (Amitabh Bachchan) films in fear of being compared and eventually being run down. Now no more, Abhishek has changed track and has apparently decided to reprise Amitabh's role from the 1980 comedy <em>Do Aur Do Paanch</em>. Shashi Kapooor’s role in the film would be played by Bobby Deol. Produced by Kunal Kohli, the film will be directed by newcomer Akshaye Puri.

If lineage be the criteria for a career then Arjun Kapoor should have been launched by his father Boney Kapoor. However the heir-apparent of this filmy empire took the unexpected route taken by his predecessor Ranbir Kapoor and decided to start his career with a film outside the home turf. But now having completed his 3-film contract with Yashraj Films Arjun is all set to work with his father. The chosen project would be a remake of the 2003 Telugu blockbuster <em>Okkadu</em>. Boney has approached Abbas-Mustan to direct the Hindi remake.

The makers of the latest Sanjay Dutt starrer a remake of the Tamil blockbuster Saamy, are extremely happy with their hero. The film’s leading man Sanjay Dutt shows up for the current schedule of the film in Chennai every morning at 10 am to shoot all through the day until 7.30 pm. No more films for friendship. No more over-indulgence. Beginning with his career Sanjay Dutt has resolved to sweep clean his entire domain of existence right up to his home where we believe, radical changes have been ordered.

Producer Amit Mehra who is remaking his illustrious father Prakash Mehra’s 1973 Amitabh Bachchan classic Zanjeer is embroiled in a remake-compensation battle with his own brother Punit Mehra. Punit has apparently gone to court for the compensation amount due to him to relinquish remake rights to Amit. But Amit says he has already submitted the due money in the honourable court and that the dispute is not between the Mehra brothers but between Punit Mehra and Salim-Javed the scriptwriters of the original Zanjeer who have legally staked a claim to compensation for the remake.