Bollywood filmmakers have continuously gathered inspiration from worldwide cinema, yet Korean films have emerged as a predominant source of influence. Various Bollywood remakes feature gripping narratives with intense emotional content and one-of-a-kind characters that originally appeared in Korean cinema. The Bollywood adaptations expertly unite the Asian narrative approaches of Korea with Indian storytelling approaches. This section explores the best Bollywood remakes that originated from Korean productions.
1. Ugly Aur Pagli (2008)
Original Korean Film: My Sassy Girl (2001)
Director: Sachin K. Khot
Starring: Ranvir Shorey, Mallika Sherawat
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Ugly Aur Pagli is a Bollywood remake of the hit South Korean romantic film My Sassy Girl. Kabir (Ranvir Shorey) experiences radical life changes after meeting Kuhu (Mallika Sherawat), who chooses him as her project. Kuhu attempts to transform Kabir into a rebellious version of herself. The Indian adaptation of this story keeps its basic elements from the original yet implements regional comedy and dramatic scenes to appeal to the local Bollywood audience. The film shows the strange and intricate connection between Kabir and Kuhu by revealing both funny and deep emotional sequences throughout their relationship.
2. Zinda (2006)
Original Korean Film: Oldboy (2003)
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Starring: Sanjay Dutt, John Abraham
Genre: Action, Thriller
The Indian action thriller Zinda draws inspiration from the critically successful Korean film Oldboy while adapting elements from this timeless thriller film. Balajeet Roy (Sanjay Dutt) serves a 14-year prison sentence with no justification for his incarceration. After his release, he begins searching for answers about his imprisonment and plans to exact revenge against those who imprisoned him. Despite modifying it to suit Indian audience preferences, Zinda delivers exciting action scenes while maintaining suspenseful mystery elements. In this dark revenge drama, Sanjay Dutt delivers a standout performance by bringing authentic emotion to his character’s pain and vengeance.
3. Murder 2 (2011)
Original Korean Film: The Chaser (2008)
Director: Mohit Suri
Starring: Emraan Hashmi, Jacqueline Fernandez
Genre: Thriller, Crime
The Bollywood adaptation Murder 2 serves as a remake of The Chaser with a story about a detective ex-officer who searches for a serial killer with a history of violence. The remake presents Arjun (Emraan Hashmi) as an ex-police officer who runs his own private investigation firm and attempts to discover the fate of missing women. He finds evidence of a horrifying serial killer operation throughout the investigation process. The film develops into a tense police crime story that reveals the most sinister aspects of human conduct. Murder 2 maintains its powerful story until the closing scene to keep viewers engrossed throughout.
4. Rocky Handsome (2016)
Original Korean Film: The Man from Nowhere (2010)
Director: Nishikant Kamat
Starring: John Abraham, Shruti Haasan
Genre: Action, Drama
Rocky Handsome is a movie inspired by The Man from Nowhere (2010), which originated from South Korea. The main character of the story is Kabir (John Abraham), who owns a pawn shop while concealing a past full of secrets. After forming an unorthodox connection with Naomi (the local neighborhood girl), Kabir launches a brutal rescue operation to save her after her kidnapping. John Abraham presents a compelling performance as he plays a vigilant hero while leading the audience through intense fight scenes, pursuing justice.
5. Bharat (2019)
Original Korean Film: Ode to My Father (2014)
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif
Genre: Drama, Family
Bharat represents the Bollywood adaptation of the Korean film Ode to My Father, which depicts a man’s life story throughout his country’s critical historical periods. During the India-Pakistan partition, Bharat (Salman Khan) gets lost from his family. His father commissions him to search for his dislocated relatives while the story documents his multi-decade emotional quest that spans numerous historical developments that transform his path. The movie presents a dual narrative structure that unites family relationships with national pride alongside personal sacrifices in a compelling emotional and patriotic journey for viewers.
6. Barfi! (2012)
Original Korean Film: Lover’s Concerto (2002)
Director: Anurag Basu
Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ileana D’Cruz
Genre: Romance, Drama
Barfi! draws its inspiration from Lover’s Concerto, which narrates three young adults who navigate romantic love among life’s ups and downs. Barfi (Ranbir Kapoor) plays the central role of a mute, deaf man who develops romantic feelings for the characters Shruti (Ileana D’Cruz) and Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra) throughout the film. This movie presents a touchingly realistic depiction of love combined with a detailed look at physical disabilities. A standout feature of the film rests in Ranbir Kapoor’s performance, where he delivers charm and subtle expressions. Barfi! presents a powerful romantic story that uses its engaging narrative and delightful music to create an emotionally touching drama.
7. Awarapan (2007)
Original Korean Film: A Bittersweet Life (2005)
Director: Mohit Suri
Starring: Emraan Hashmi, Shriya Saran
Genre: Action, Drama
It fits that Awarapan functions as a Bollywood adaptation of the original Korean film A Bittersweet Life since this adaptation presents the story of a mob enforcer who faces an internal struggle between safeguarding his boss and his love for the woman he protects. The Bollywood version introduces Shivam (Emraan Hashmi) as he monitors Reema (Shriya Saran), who keeps a hidden relationship with a prominent man. His growing affection for the woman leads Shivam to experience moral dilemmas that test his values. Within the drama, Emraan Hashmi delivers a refined acting performance that enriches the film’s main character.
8. Te3n (2016)
Original Korean Film: Montage (2013)
Director: Ribhu Dasgupta
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vidya Balan
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Te3n is a modern thriller film that is inspired by Montage. An elderly Amitabh Bachchan portrays a man trying to find justice after his granddaughter disappeared years ago. The elderly man teams up with a police officer (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) to investigate a new case that mirrors his unresolved past kidnapping incident. The film presents a narrative about loss accompanied by themes of guilt as its characters try to find redemption through their stories while delivering exceptional performances across the entire cast.
9. Ek Villain (2014)
Original Korean Film: I Saw The Devil (2010)
Director: Mohit Suri
Starring: Siddharth Malhotra, Shraddha Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh, Aamna Sharif
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Ek Villain (2014) is a romantic action thriller film. It was jointly produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor under Balaji Motion Pictures. The film was a hit, and the music was a blockbuster.
10. Radhe (2021)
Original Korean Film: The Outlaws (2017)
Director: Prabhu Deva
Starring: Salman Khan, Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda, Jackie Shroff, Sudhanshu Pandey
Genre: Thriller
Radhe is based on a daredevil police officer on a mission to eliminate the syndicate of drug peddlers. Salman Khan played a cop in the Mumbai Police, and Randeep Hooda was an antagonist.
These are the 10 Bollywood movies that are remakes of Korean movies. Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
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