Filmmaker Nikhil Dwivedi on re-releases: Will help us understand where we are lacking

In a recent interview, filmmaker Nikhil Dwivedi spoke about the resurgence of film re-releases in India. He emphasized the positive impact this trend has on both audiences and the film industry.

In Short

• Nikhil Dwivedi supports film re-releases for industry value
• 2024 sees a rise in film re-releases
• Dwivedi believes re-releases highlight the quality of past films

As re-releases of films continue to gain popularity, producer and actor Nikhil Dwivedi has shared his thoughts on the growing trend. In an exlcusive chat with India Today Digital, he highlighted the positive impact of re-releasing films, stressing the value it adds to the industry.

The year 2024 has witnessed a surge in re-releases, often coinciding with anniversaries or special occasions, drawing fans back to cinemas. For audiences, re-releases serve as a way to enjoy beloved classics or underrated gems on the big screen.

Sharing his on the recent re-releases, Nikhil Dwivedi called it a good trend. He said, "There used to be re-releases in single screens, but when multiplexes came, the concept of re-releases stopped. Single screens would re-release films so much. Sholay has made more money in re-releases than it did in its first run when it was released in 1975. So re-releases were the order of the day back then. I am all for it because, firstly, the new generations are getting the same experience on a large screen. I think there are many times when you see a film that came before its time or maybe a film didn’t get its due recognition because of certain external factors and circumstances. Now, at least, that would be taken care of."

He further added, "There is no harm in re-releasing films. Also, I think the current lot of producers and directors, like us, will know where we are lacking when good cinema of the past is released. If we don't make good films today, old films will keep running."

When asked which film he would like to see re-released, he replied,"I saw most of the films during an Amitabh Bachchan film festival — I watched Don and Deewar. So now, I would like Shyam Benegal's Kalyug (1981) to be re-released."