Did ‘Garam Masala’ Copy ‘Boeing Boeing’? Video Clip Comparing Comic Scenes From Akshay Kumar-John Abraham’s Movie With 1965 American Comedy Is Going Viral – Here’s the Truth!
Even though some netizens are realising this now, it was not a secret that 'Garam Masala', like most movies that Priyadarshan has made, is not original. In fact, it is an adaption of an adaptation of an adaptation!
It is now well-established that director Priyadarshan has a penchant for remaking movies—or, to put it more diplomatically, adapting old films to suit local sensibilities. It’s also a common accusation that Bollywood is obsessed with remakes; if you pick any three movies at random, chances are one will be a remake or have an original source elsewhere. This creative "marriage" between Priyadarshan and Bollywood adaptations has given us some memorable films, mostly comedies, including Hera Pheri, Garam Masala, Bhagam Bhaag, Hulchul, Hungama, Bhool Bhulaiyaa and De Dana Dan. Notably, none of these are original, and most feature Akshay Kumar. Akshay Kumar To Reunite With ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ Director Priyadarshan for Horror-Comedy? Big Announcement on September 9.
Recently, a clip from Garam Masala, the 2005 Bollywood comedy starring Akshay Kumar and John Abraham, has gone viral. The video is a compilation comparing scenes featuring Kumar, Abraham, and Paresh Rawal to similar ones from the 1965 American comedy Boeing Boeing. Fans are surprised to see that the scenes are nearly identical, prompting a newfound realisation that Garam Masala was inspired by Boeing Boeing - though this has never been a well-kept secret.
Viral Scene Compilation of 'Garam Masala' and 'Boeing Boeing'
Netizens' Reactions
'Boeing Boeing'
The American comedy, directed by John Rich, starred Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis. It follows a playboy journalist (Curtis) who juggles relationships with three air hostesses, ensuring they remain unaware of each other. He manages this by synchronising their different schedules while inviting them to his apartment to live with him. This balancing act requires his housekeeper to prepare distinct meals for each girlfriend and change the room's décor, including swapping out photos in the picture frames. Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan Reunite for ‘Bhooth Bangla’: From ‘Hera Pheri’ to ‘Khatta Meetha’, Here’s How Their Past Movies Have Fared at Box Office.
Watch a Scene From 'Boeing Boeing':
The protagonist's troubles begin when the flight attendants' schedules change unexpectedly, plunging his meticulously planned routine into chaos. Around this time, his old friend and fellow journalist (Jerry Lewis) visits and joins in the farce, attempting to flirt with the women himself. and trying to take over the apartment.
Interestingly, even Boeing Boeing isn’t an original concept; it is adapted from a 1960 French play titled Boeing-Boeing.
Priyadarshan and Boeing Boeing
Priyadarshan started his career in the Malayalam film industry, carving out a niche with hit comedies and family entertainers. He first adapted Boeing Boeing, unofficially, in 1985 as a Malayalam film of the same name. This version starred Mohanlal, Mukesh, Jagathy Sreekumar, Sukumari, and Lissy Priyadarshan and became a hit, with its comedic scenes still entertaining audiences today. One particularly famous scene is the "Chicken Masala" sequence, which, although missing from the Hindi remake, was actually inspired by the "French Omelette" scene from Amitabh Bachchan's 1983 classic Coolie.
The Malayalam version included a subplot with Jagathy's screenwriter character trying to impress his editor with bizarre stories—a storyline absent in both the original American film and the Hindi remake. In the Malayalam film, Mohanlal’s character (based on Curtis' role) even has a fiancée, adding another layer to the plot. Despite his chaotic misadventures, the film grants him a ‘happy’ ending with her. Priyadarshan Birthday Special: Boeing Boeing, Kilukkam, Thenmavin Kombath – 5 Evergreen Malayalam Movies Helmed By The Director Featuring Superstar Mohanlal!
Watch a Comedy Scene From 'Boeing Boeing':
Garam Masala is more of a remake of Priyadarshan’s Malayalam version of Boeing Boeing than a direct adaptation of the American film, though similarities abound in all three movies. Like Mohanlal’s character, Akshay Kumar’s character also has a fiancée (played by Rimi Sen), and he too receives a happy ending with her. Notably, due to Priyadarshan’s preference for working with Paresh Rawal, the housekeeper character was gender-swapped for the Hindi version (originally played by Thelma Ritter in the American film and by Sukumari in the Malayalam version).
Interestingly, Garam Masala isn’t entirely derived from Boeing Boeing. The scenes where Akshay Kumar and John Abraham’s characters bungle a dinner date with Neha Dhupia were taken from another Priyadarshan Malayalam comedy, Aram + Aram = Kinnaram, which was released the same year as the Malayalam Boeing Boeing. In fact, Neha Dhupia's character is lifted from this movie, as she was absent in the Malayalam version of Boeing Boeing.
The Date Scene in 'Garam Masala'
The Date Scene in 'Aram + Aram = Kinnaram'
In summary, Garam Masala is a remake of a Malayalam comedy that itself borrowed heavily from an American film of the same name, which was originally adapted from a French play—all while incorporating scenes from another Malayalam film. Phew!
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 15, 2024 10:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).