Forgot password

In 2024, we took a look at Korean Films Remade in Hollywood, however Korean cinema hasn't only inspired English language remakes, with one of the most popular film industries in the world – Bollywood – also looking towards the Korea's cinematic output for inspiration.

This was particularly prevalent during the 2000's and 2010's, when the bold and unpredictable storylines of Korean cinema were ripe for overseas remakes, and often both the Bollywood and Tollywood film industries would offer up their takes on the Korean source material. While the approaches to cinema between Korea and Bollywood are distinctly different, it's also these differences which make the remakes so unique in the way they reinterpret the originals intent, often keeping the same plot, but fundamentally changing the themes that run through the narratives.

From dark revenge thrillers, to fantasy laced comedies, to rousing historical dramas, over the years Korean cinema has proven to be a rich source for other countries to make their own adaptations, and this is no more evident than in Bollywood. Below, we take a look at 8 productions that received the remake treatment in India, focusing on the cultural nuances between the original, and how the remake reinterpreted them for a local audience. Note they're listed in chronological order from the date of release in Korea.

• My Sassy Girl (2001) - Maa Iddhari Madhya (2006 – Tollywood) - Ugly and Crazy (2008 – Bollywood)

My Sassy Girl was one of the first Korean romance dramas to become massively popular across Asia, making a star out of Gianna Jun, and putting director Kwak Jae-yong on the map. With its story rooted in Korean youth culture resonating across the region, topped off with a unique reversal of gender norms, over the next 20 years it would continue to be remade across multiple countries both in and outside of Asia. The Tollywood remake Maa Iddhari Madhya reshapes the story to fit South Indian cultural expectations, emphasizing family, melodrama, and a more traditional heroine, while the Bollywood remake Ugly and Crazy adapts the narrative into a glamorous, music driven romance, softening the girl's eccentricity and amplifying emotional spectacle. Each version reflects the countries gender expectations and cinematic style, making the same core plot feel distinctly different across Korea, Tollywood, and Bollywood.

 

• Oldboy (2003) - Zinda (2006 - Bollywood)

Few would disagree that director Park Chan-wook's 2003 masterpiece Oldboy is a product of South Korea's bold, boundary pushing cinema that dominated the first half of 2000's, embracing moral ambiguity, taboo subjects, and psychological depth. On the other hand Zinda, while inspired by the same premise, reshapes the story to fit Bollywood's cultural expectations—reducing the taboo elements, simplifying motivations, and presenting a more conventional revenge narrative with clearer moral framing. The end result is two films that share a skeleton plot but express distinctly different cultural identities, values, and cinematic philosophies.

Oldboy (2003)

• A Bittersweet Life (2005 – Korea) - Awarapan (2007 – India/Pakistan)

Director Kim Jee-woon's A Bittersweet Life is a quintessential Korean neo noir: stylish, morally ambiguous, and emotionally restrained. It portrays violence as tragic and meaningless, and the protagonist's downfall as a result of personal choice in a cruel world. Awarapan on the other hand takes a decidedly different approach, holding the distinction of being the first co-production between India and Pakistan. Due to the involvement of the two countries, the plot sees Emraan Hashmi, in Lee Byung-hun's role, being asked to keep an eye on actress Mrinalini Sharma, who plays a Pakistani victim of sex trafficking. With a heavy Muslim influence and the usual Bollywood dance numbers, Awarapan is certainly a very different beast compared to A Bittersweet Life.

A Bittersweet Life (2005)

• The Chaser (2008) - Murder 2 (2011 - Bollywood)

When is a sequel not a sequel? The answer is when it's a remake of a Korean production, with 2011's Murder 2 offering up a Bollywood take on director Na Hong-jin's The Chaser. A late 2000's classic of Korean cinema, the latter is a grim, socially conscious Korean thriller that exposes institutional failure and the fragility of ordinary lives. Its power comes from realism, moral ambiguity, and emotional restraint. Murder 2 on the other hand, while borrowing the basic premise, transforms the story into a Bollywood thriller centred on a stylish anti hero, sensational violence, and commercial appeal. The result is two films that share a narrative seed but express entirely different cultural identities—one rooted in Korean realism and systemic critique, the other in Bollywood spectacle and hero driven storytelling.

• I Saw the Devil (2010) - Ek Villain (2014 – Bollywood)

The 2nd time for director Kim Jee-woon to appear on the list, I Saw the Devil is a brutal, morally complex Korean thriller that dismantles the idea of righteous revenge. It reflects a culture willing to confront darkness head on, using violence to explore trauma, corruption, and the collapse of humanity. The Villain, while inspired by the same revenge premise, reshapes the story into a Bollywood emotional spectacle, emphasizing love, redemption, and clear moral boundaries. Violence becomes stylish rather than disturbing, and the protagonist becomes a heroic figure rather than a cautionary one. The different approaches see one production that's rooted in Korean nihilism and moral ambiguity, while the other leans into Bollywood's tradition of emotional drama, romance, and moral certainty.

I Saw the Devil (2010)

• The Man from Nowhere (2010 – Korea) - Rocky Handsome (2016 - Bollywood)

How do you turn one of the more violent and gritty action flicks to come out of Korea into a movie that'll appeal to a Bollywood audience? The answer was to go the route of an almost shot-for-shot remake, when in 2016 director Nishikant Kamat practically made a carbon copy of director Lee Jeong-beom's 2010 classic The Man from Nowhere. In Rocky Handsome Won Bin was replaced by John Abraham (here making his 2nd appearance on the list, having also played Yoo Ji-tae's role in the 2006 Oldboy remake Zinda), and the Vietnamese knife fighter played by Thanayong Wongtrakul replaced by Patrick Kazu Tang. Throw in a couple of musical numbers, slow motion shots of Abraham, and a cranked-up level of violence thanks to the influence of Indonesia's The Raid, and the end result was one that put its own distinct Bollywood stamp on the Korean source material.

• Miss Granny (2014) - Oh! Baby (2019 – India: Tollywood)

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk's Miss Granny is a warm, introspective Korean dramedy that uses magical realism to explore aging, regret, and the quiet sacrifices of older women. Its humour is gentle, and its emotional beats are rooted in Korean values of family duty and generational respect. Oh! Baby, while following the same premise, transforms the story into a vibrant Tollywood entertainer filled with humour, music, and emotional highs. It emphasizes family bonds, maternal love, and the joy of rediscovering life, aligning with Telugu cinema's tradition of expressive storytelling and feel good drama. The result is two films that share the same narrative heart but express distinct cultural identities—one reflective and nostalgic, the other lively and emotionally exuberant.

Miss Granny (2014)

• Ode to My Father (2014) – Bharat (2019 - Bollywood)

When director JK Young made Ode to My Father in 2014 it became one of the most popular Korean movies of the decade. No doubt due to its deeply Korean story about sacrifice, survival, and the emotional scars of war throughout recent history, the narrative reflects a culture that honours the hardships of its elders and views national progress as the result of collective suffering. Bharat, while inspired by the same structure, transforms the narrative into a Bollywood epic that blends patriotism, family sentiment, romance, and entertainment. It reframes the protagonist as a heroic figure whose life parallels India's growth, emphasizing optimism and emotional catharsis over tragedy. The result is two films that share a narrative skeleton but express distinct cultural identities, using historical grief and a sense of duty to convey each countries sense of national pride through cinematic spectacle.

Ode to My Father (2014) 

Written by Paul Bramhall
Edited by kofic