EXCLUSIVE: Theatre Director Randhir Ranjan Roy To Remake Padosan & Pakeezah On Stage, Faces Copyrights Issue

Filmmaker Randhir Ranjan Roy, who garnered appreciation for his recent play Ek Haan that featured Suchitra Krishnamoorthi and Shekhar Suman has bigger plans for stage. In an exclusive freewheeling chat with The Free Press Journal, Randhir shares his plan to recreate the popular story of a courtesan, Pakeezah on stage. The film that released in 1972 starred the iconic Meena Kumari became a hit overnight. But, for Randhir it’s not too easy. 

“I wanted to remake the film but because of the rights issue, it wasn’t possible. I have been trying to get this film on stage for the longest time. The way Mughal-E-Azam is done on stage, I would love to do similar stuff with Pakeezah,” he tells. 

Another film that Randhir has been trying to recreate on stage is 1968 released film Padosan. The film is best known for Mehmood’s comic timing. “I have been closely working with late Mehmood’s son Lucky Ali. I had even narrated to him and he was quite excited to do it too. But, copyrights are the main thing but we don’t know who has the rights. We are still trying to figure out the way out. It is a beautiful film and the current generation should know what importance it held back then in the theatres,” he states. 

“If the current generation is into OTT, they should realise that what all they miss. Theatre is a very good medium to learn that,” he signs off.