Why Haathi Mere Saathi remake may have a tough time…

Trinity Films, a franchise company tied to Eros Entertainment, helmed by the eminently enterprising Ajit Thakur, is all set to remake the 1971 mega-blockbuster Haathi Mere Saathi. Said to be the biggest hit of Rajesh Khannas blockbuster career, Haathi Mere Saathi told the story of the intense relationship between a man and his pet elephant. The film broke all box office records and celebrated a diamond jubilee (a 100-week run) in many centres.

Haathi Mere Saathi was directed by Tamil director M A Thurumugham. The remake will be directed by another Tamil director Prabhu Solomon.

However, it wont be easy to do a remake of a film where an animal plays a pivotal role, warns the chief of the censor board Pahlaj Nihalani.

"The Animal Welfare board is constantly monitoring everything to do with animals in our films. What was acceptable 45 years ago wont be acceptable today. In the original Haathi Mere Saathi the elephant was killed. The Animal Welfare Board wont allow that. There was a superhit song Chal Chal Mere Haathi where the elephant pulls Rajesh Khanna and Tanujas broken-down car. Again this would not be approved by the Animal Welfare board," says Nilahani.

However Ajit Thakur, the producer of the remake, maintains the remake would be very different from the original Haathi Mere Saathi.