While there are rumors that the Yaariyan 2 is the official Hindi remake of the Malayalam cult film ‘Bangalore Days’, there are seemingly no official confirmations of the same. If it is indeed the remake, then the silence of the fact is an interesting strategy from the makers. However, the big mistake of revealing too much in the announcement video may have rendered it useless.
In today’s times, OTT has brought people and cinema closer, irrespective of the state of origin or language of the film. Exposed to movies from different languages, the audience does not take kindly to remakes anymore, because they have in all probability seen the original or rather watch the original. As such, remaking one of the most popular Malayalam films means certainty of comparison with the original. It seems T-Series has taken that exact plunge with Yaariyan 2.
The movie looks more like ‘Bangalore Days’ remake than it is the sequel to 2014’s Yaariyan. The comparisons are inevitable even if it is not the remake, since the announcement video reveals too much. The tagline ‘Cousins by blood, friends by choice’ would invariably remind one of Bangalore Days. The reveal of the extensive star cast also has people confirming their doubt since ‘Bangalore Days’ also had an ensemble cast. The presence of Malayalam actors in the project like Anaswara Rajan and Priya Varrier doesn’t really help lose the comparison either.
While the comparisons do create some news regarding the film, it’s more of a negative nature than genuine curiosity to watch the film. The original film had a great storyteller in the form of director Anjali Menon, who was ably supported by brilliant performances from actors like Dulquer Salmaan, Nivin Pauly, Nazriya, Parvathy, and Fahad Faasil to name a few. The Tamil remake of the film flopped in the theatres even though it had big stars. With Yaariyan 2 having no big Hindi stars, does it really stand a chance at the box -office in 2023? In all likelihood, it may not. And if it does well, it would be a pleasant surprise indeed!