Before The Office's Hindi remake, a look at other Indian adaptations of international shows

BBC’s sitcom  The Office, which got an American adaptation with Steve Carell, John Krasinski is immensely popular even six years after its last season was aired. The show now has a 13-episode Indian remake. Although the Applause Entertainment-backed series started streaming on Hotstar only today, criticism has already started coming its way. [caption id=“attachment_6897701” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] A still from The Office. Image from Twitter @MirrorIndore[/caption] The Hindi version is set in Faridabad and chronicles the 9-to-5 lives of the employees at Wilkins Chawla as they navigate their mundane routine that invariably gives rise to comical situations. Mukul Chadda plays Jagdeep Chadda (I, Me aur Main), the Indian counterpart of Michael Scott. The other cast members include, Gopal Dutt (TVF Pitchers), Sayandeep Sengupta (Chitrakut), Samridhi Dewan (Lucknow Central), Gauahar Khan (Game), Gavin Methalaka (Katti Batti), among others. Networks seem to be increasingly picking up successful foreign content and localising it for their home audience in the hope that they will identify better with the stories. The tried-and-tested formula is received positively sometimes but there are countless remakes that have just been an embarrassment to watch and are often short-lived. Zabaan Sambhalke [caption id=“attachment_6899571” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] A still from Zabaan Sambhalke. Image from Twitter[/caption] Zabaan Sambhal Ke, inspired by the British sitcom, was set in an adult learning institute, where people from all walks of life were part of the class. Pankaj Kapur played Mohan Bharti and he was joined by actors like Viju Khote, Shubha Khote and Tanaaz Irani. 24 [caption id=“attachment_6899591” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Anil Kapoor in 24. Image from Twitter[/caption] Anil Kapoor took on the role of a man torn between looking after his country and his family in the Indian version of Keifer Sutherland’s American action thriller series of the same name. Karishma Kaa Karishma [caption id=“attachment_6899601” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Jhanak Shukla with Sanjeev Seth in Karishma Kaa Karishma. Image from Twitter[/caption] Others Small Wonder, made into Karishma Kaa Karishma, where a family’s additional member included a human-robot. Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin [caption id=“attachment_6899621” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Mona Singh as Jassi. YouTube[/caption] The Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea’s remake Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi followed the trials and tribulations that a bespectacled woman from a middle class Indian family working in a fashion magazine faces. The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir [caption id=“attachment_6899641” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Image from Twitter[/caption] Disney’s The Suite Life of Zack & Cody had an official Indian adaptation called The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir, which followed a set of trouble-making twins living in a luxury hotel. Their mother Preeti (played by Shruti Seth) is a single mother who works as an assistant manager in the hotel. Criminal Justice [caption id=“attachment_6378461” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Pankaj Tripathi in a still from Criminal Justice. YouTube[/caption] The British mini-series Criminal Justice’s adaptation stars Jackie Shroff,  Vikrant Massey and Pankaj Tripathi . It follows a cab driver’s son, wrongfully accused of murdering a woman.