Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Aag’ is a controversial reimagining of the classic film ‘Sholay’. The remake departs significantly from Ramesh Sippy’s original, offering a revisionist take on the beloved story. The film’s value lies not in replicating the source material but in its bold departures. Some sequences are presented as parodic homages to the original ‘Sholay’. The notorious ‘Kitne aadmi the’ scene is reinterpreted with a sense of dark humor. Varma treats the classic with an iconoclastic approach, subverting celebrated sequences to fit a gangster narrative. The film’s setting is a series of indistinct locations, lacking the geographical accuracy of the original. The slaughter of the police inspector’s family is designed for shock value rather than building suspense. Amitabh Bachchan’s performance as Babban, the villain, is notable for its nuanced portrayal. Key elements from ‘Sholay,’ such as the severed hand and the post-Holi attack, are adapted with a different aesthetic. The relationships between characters lack cohesion, particularly the absence of camaraderie between the new Jai and Veeru, now Raj and Hero. However, the film offers a glimpse of Bachchan’s performance. Varma attempts to give ‘Sholay’ a contemporary look, though the result is more bleak than bright. The remake overhauls and reimagines many iconic characters. The relationships of the original film are altered to fit the dark contemporary underworld milieu.
