Friday 11 June 2010

Going Bollywood, Emma? A look into 'Aisha'


A few months ago we uploaded news about the making of a Bollywood version of Emma. The Indian adaptation is titled 'Aisha', played by Sonam Kapoor, and to be released this 6th of August (in India, at least). Now I know many of you might never watched any Bollywood movie... but I sort of dig into this genre (Slumdog Millionaire is a must-see!), and I'm actually wondering how Emma would be translated into Indian silver screen.

There was another Bollywood adaptation of Jane Austen's novel in 2005, Bride and Prejudice (Aishwarya Rai as Lalita/the Indian Lizzy), and although Martin Henderson who played Darcy could have been better, I like the way the music and story intertwined there. But 'Emma' is different. 'Emma' should be funky and cute, and annoying at the same time, and that's a recipe that Bollywood usually excels at.

Anyway, just tidbits from the gossip columns of One India:

The first look of Anil Kapoor Films Company's Aisha is finally out. This Abhay Deol and Sonam Kapoor starrer is an adaptation of the classic novel Emma. Sonam plays Aisha, a young upper class Delhite who has trouble minding her own business and loves interfering in other people's lives while Abhay plays Arjun, a rich Delhi boy who has problem with Sonam's ways and is trying to get her out of the mess she merrily gets herself into.

I have to say I do not fancy the heart glasses, but if Emma is to be transported to 21st CE, that might be the sort of stuff she would wear too... I do fancy the frock, though...

Pic 1: Sonam Kapoor as Aisha, the funky Indian Emma, from One India
Pic 2: That's more like it. I heart Aisha's frock, from Desi Hits


2 comments:

Natalie said...

Fascinating that the Jane Austen appeal is condusive to Indian culture. I suppose that it just goes to show that the classics are classics no matter where they go.

Icha said...

Well, the Brits used to colonise India, so they brought the British literature or writers as well along with the East Indies Co.

Ruyard Kipling even got inspiration for his famous Jungle Book from India!