During the Cannes Film Festival, Kumar Mangat Pathak’s Panorama Studios and Anthology Studios, founded by former Warner Bros. local Korean production head Jay Choi, Parasite actor Song Kang-ho and director Kim Jee-woon made an exciting announcement. The two studios will join hands to produce the Drishyam franchise in Korean language. The announcement was made at India Pavilion in Cannes in the presence of the studio heads. This would be the first-ever collaboration between an Indian and a Korean studio and the first time a Hindi film is being officially remade in Korean.

Drishyam, an Indian franchise, proved successful in many Indian languages – Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi. The Hindi sequel, directed by Abhishek Pathak, which released last year, became a huge success. The Chinese remake, Sheep Without A Shepherd, too, won the audience’s appreciation. Ajay Devgn and Tabu headlined the franchise in Hindi.

Kumar Mangat Pathak says, “I’m excited that the Drishyam franchise is being made in Korean, a first for a Hindi film. This will not only increase its reach outside India, but will also put Hindi cinema on the global map. All these years, we have been inspired by Korean fare, and now they have found a muse in one of our films. What can be a bigger achievement for the Indian film fraternity.”

Jay Choi added, “We are thrilled to have an opportunity to remake a successful Hindi film with a touch of originality from Korean cinema. The remake has greater significance as the first major co-production between Korea and India. Through our partnership, we will be able to bring the best of both Indian and Korean cinema and make a meaningful remake that is as excellent as the original.”

Pathak is confident that the Drishyam franchise will find an audience in Korea and around the world. “This is the beginning of a valuable cultural exchange between both countries and film industries,” he says.

US-based Jack Nguyen will serve as the executive producer of the project. He had collaborated with Pathak on Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge and with Jay Choi and his team to produce a slate of Korean films. 

Jack Nguyen says, “I have a history with and utmost respect for these highly-regarded producers, so it was a natural fit for me to bring them together to collaborate on a great story in Drishyam. I’m excited to help them make history with this first-of-its-kind Indian-Korean co-production.”