Austen's Emma to Get Bollywood Treatment

11 October 2009

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Jane Austen's classic novel Emma is to adapted again - for Bollywood.

Following the success of the movie adaptation of Austin's Pride and Prejudice (Bride and Prejudice), Indian filmmakers have gone back in time to recreate another classic piece of English literature from the author.

Sonam Kapoor will take on the lead in a modern retelling of the story, titled Aisha, which will be set in Delhi.

India is rich in literary and folk traditions and had an abundance of masterpieces readily convertible for films. Why remake an oft-repeated story, set in a foreign land, for Indian audiences?

Gwyneth Paltrow famously played Austen's historic heroine in 1996's Emma and the role has been played on TV in Britain by Kate Beckinsale, Romola Garai and Doran Godwin.

But the new Bollywood version has upset Indian purists, who believe moviemakers should be mining homegrown classic literature before looking overseas for ideas.

Leading U.S. Hindu statesman Rajan Zed says, "India is rich in literaryand folk traditions and had an abundance of masterpieces readily convertible for films. Why remake an oft-repeated story, set in a foreign land, for Indian audiences?"

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