Action Comedy ‘Red’ Set For Indian Remake From Lionsgate, Anil Kapoor’s AKFC

In its second adaptation for the Indian market, Lionsgate is teaming with Anil Kapoor’s AKFC production banner on a Hindi version of Summit’s action comedy Red. Veteran Indian actor and producer Kapoor, whose screen credits include Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Slumdog Millionaire and Fox’s 24, is a big brand at home where he also produces and stars in the local version of 24. Cast is being finalized for the Red redo with production beginning in August. There’s no word yet if Kapoor will take part in front of the camera.

The original Red, which featured an ensemble that included Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren, was a solid hit in 2010 with $200 million at the global box office. The story follows former black-ops agent Frank Moses who, when his peaceful life is threatened by a high-tech assassin, reassembles his old team in a last-ditch effort to survive and uncover his assailants.

Kapoor says AKFC is looking to revive the multi-star action movie genre that was so popular up to the ’90s. With the right cast, this could be a perfect fit. This first team-up with Lionsgate is eyed as the beginning of a long-term relationship in a market that has seen a number of successful U.S. adaptations recently.

Lionsgate previously worked with Dharma Productions and Endemol India to remake its 2011 Tom Hardy/Joel Edgerton-starrer Warrior as Brothers, with Karan Malhotra directing Akshay Kumar, Jackie Shroff, Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandez. Fox Star India released that picture last year. In 2014, Fox Star also produced the Hindi version of Knight And Day which went out as Bang Bang and starred Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif.