Bollywood producer-filmmaker Karan Johar recently attended film analyst and movie critic Komal Nahta’s podcast, Game Changers. During his appearance, the filmmaker had several insightful discussions, including his decision to remake the 1990 classic Agneepath.
KJo shared a fascinating story behind his decision to remake Agneepath, revealing a personal and emotional reason that led him to remake the movie under the Dharma Productions banner, with Hrithik Roshan stepping into the role of Vijay Deenanath Chauhan.
When Komal Nahta asked Karan Johar, “But you’re the only maker who remade a flop, not a hit, and turned it into a hit?”
Karan replied, “The thing was, my dad was heartbroken when “Agneepath” didn’t work. Despite all the acclaim, everyone saying it was Amit ji’s best performance, and even winning a National Award, the film didn’t do well. He was really heartbroken. So, I felt like, in his memory, I should remake the film and hope it does well. And it did.”
The original Agneepath starred Amitabh Bachchan, Mithun Chakraborty, Danny Denzongpa, Neelam Kothari, and Maadhavi in key roles. It was directed by Mukul Anand and produced by Karan Johar’s father, Yash Johar.
Inspired by several gangster films, Agneepath received critical acclaim but failed at the box office. However, over the years, it has gained cult status.
Karan Johar remade Agneepath in 2012 with Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt, and Priyanka Chopra, and went on to become a global success.