It's official: Pritish Nandy ki Sholay!

Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC) has bagged a $100-million franchisee deal to remake the 70s masterpiece Sholay, which ran in movie theatres for five-and-a-half years without interruption, making it the most successful film in India's cinematic history.

The move comes at a time when Ram Gopal Varma's controversial movie, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, said to be an unofficial remake of Sholay, is set to release this weekend with 700 prints.

Production house PNC has entered into an agreement with Sippys-owned Sholay Media and Entertainment - the original maker of Sholay - to remake the blockbuster, make an animated version of the movie and also its prequel and sequel.

PNC chairman Pritish Nandy confirmed that he has signed an agreement to remake the film.

"We have entered into an agreement with the official franchisee-rights holder of Sholay to develop the franchisee of the most successful film ever made in Bollywood. Besides making the official remake of the movie, we will make a prequel and a sequel of the movie, as well as the animated version of it," he said.


Mr Nandy added that PNC would have a revenue-sharing arrangement with Sholay Entertainment & Media instead of the licensing fee model.

"The $100 million would cover all four projects. The official rights holders want to have a say in how the film should be treated in its new avatar and we have no problems with it."

The cast, crew and the distribution of the film would be worked out in the due course.