Hrishikesh Mukherji's films are a separate class altogether. They are like having ghar ka khana (home-cooked food) after years of being away from home. The warmth, the homeliness, the nuggets of wisdom, the soul-satisfying stories, what's not to love? You are sure to smile quietly to yourself, or shed a silent tear watching those gems unfold on screen.
This is why I think his classic, Anand (1971), should never be remade. It is the holy grail of feel-good films, the ultimate tear-jerker with its heartwarming story of a cancer-afflicted young man who refuses to let the disease get the better of him. The way he defies pain and looks death in the eye with a smile on his face, is the stuff of legends.
Those were the days when people led simpler lives and when social media didn't overpower lives and when the only source of accessible entertainment was the radio. Yes, there were complications in relationships, political murkiness, wars being fought, and people exploited, but the common man was mostly concerned only with earning a living and getting on with his life peacefully. Family was everything, societal bonds were strong, and neighbours cared for each other. Even strangers responded with a smile, and sometimes with a joke too. People didn't need designations or expensive phones to make connections.
The very concept of a doctor having a personal relationship with his patient is out of question now. In the Seventies, doctors were like family, particularly those who were family practitioners for a long time. They forged bonds beyond the professional ones. Amitabh Bachchan's Dr. Shekhar could bring Rajesh Khanna's Anand home, and look after him like a family member. If that's even thinkable now, it would violate the patient-practitioner code of conduct in today's age!
In today's age, it's hard to imagine walking into someone's house randomly and asking for even a glass of water. You would be branded an intruder. And Anand does just that, not once but several times. The bonds he makes with strangers are truly heartwarming, but implausible in our current world.
Additionally, the concept of a cancer patient opting for little or no treatment is invalid today. Assisted euthanasia is possible only after the doctor agrees and the patient has reached a critical, unrecoverable stage. Raju Hirani's Munnabhai M.B.B.S had a similar premise, but there the patient is in hospital and under treatment too.
As a rule, classics should never be messed with, and that is the reason Anand should never be remade.
That simplicity, innocence and openness of heart has vanished in today's age. A person like Anand may still exist, but he or she would be called a simpleton, derided and laughed at. The story would seem too idealistic and simply wouldn't make sense.
So, let us keep Anand in our memories and the original on celluloid. Banish all thoughts of remaking it or "adapting" it to modern times. A classic should remain untouched.