Launching movie screenplays and dialogues seems to be the new trend. Rajkumar Hirani's Lage Raho Munna Bhai seemed to start the trend, and it has been followed by Raj Kapoor's 1951 release Awaara.
December 14 marks the 85th birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor, and it was celebrated by launching the screenplay of one of his most popular films, Awaara.
Titled Awaara - The Dialogue of Awaara, Raj Kapoor's Immortal Classic, the event was attended by his sons Randhir and Rishi Kapoor. Author and documentary filmmaker Nasreen Munni Kabir has presented the book.
"It is impossible to remake Awaara," said Randhir Kapoor, at the book's launch on Saturday at Crosswords, Juhu, in the western suburban of Mumbai.
"Many have to come to me and my brothers asking us to remake Awaara but I have strongly believed that there is no way that the film can be remade as is the trend now," Randhir continued. "There is no chance that I can get actors like Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Where will I get the innocent-looking Shashi Kapoor? It is impossible to find actors of their calibre to be a part of a modern day Awaara. I would be making a fool of myself even if I tried to copy it frame by frame."
"I am very thankful to the Kapoors to have given me this opportunity to write this book," Nasreen says. "Without their support, this wouldn't have been possible. Just like how Shakespeare is still remembered through his literature, it is through books that we can keep legendary films alive. After this, will be Mehboob Khan's immortal classic Mother India."
"I was very happy when Nasreen approached me and said that we could make a book of the film in Hindi, Urdu and Roman English so that people can understand. I was very excited because it was one of my favourite Indian films. It's my favourite Raj Kapoor film," Randhir says.
"Awaara marked four generations of the Kapoors -- my great grandfather (Dewan Basheswarnath), my grandfather (Prithviraj Kapoor), my father (Raj Kapoor) and my uncle (Shashi Kapoor)," Rishi Kapoor said.
