If Tate Taylor the original director of The Girl On The Train were to see director Ribhu Dasgupta’s forthcoming take on the same story, Taylor wouldn’t be able to recognize the remake. Dasgupta’s The Girl On The Train is far removed from the original. Informed sources tell me that he completely re-wrote the original to suit the India palate.Also, Dasgupta had told me in an informal chat when he had started the project, “There’s no point in going into remake unless you can do something else with it.” In other words, a frame-to-frame remake is a dirty shame. And Ribhu’s remake is certainly not guilty of it. According to sources only the character of the sloshed alcoholic heroine Emily Blunt (in an Oscar-nominated performance in the original) and Parineeti Chopra remain the same. All other pivotal plot points have been altered.Emily Blunt is said to have entered her character’s zone after downing a few pegs for every shooting day. Parineeti did not consume alcohol to play the alcoholic. The remake has been ‘Taylor’-made to suit Indian tastes. Netflix is apparently gung-ho about the project. They intend to show the remake to the original team. I am sure a ‘Blunt’ response would be appreciated.
