MUMBAI: Pritish Nandy Communications will be animating Shakti Samanta’s action thriller Howrah Bridge, starring Ashok Kumar and Madhubala.

Following Howrah Bridge, the company has also acquired the rights to make animation versions of two other Shakti Samanta films; Amar Prem, starring Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore, and Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Raakhee.

The films are being made by PNC as a tribute to the genius of Samanta and the animation will be done by Florida-based Motion Pixel Corporation, who are already partnering PNC on other animation film projects.

“This is our way of reviving some of the grand old classics of Indian cinema and introducing them to the new generation of movie goers,” says PNC chairman Pritish Nandy.

Howrah Bridge, shot in black and white in 1958 also starred actors like K N Singh, Om Prakash, Madan Puri, Mehmood and Minoo Mumtaz. O P Nayyar’s music and soundtrack was another high point of the film.

“It has long been my desire to make Howrah Bridge in a modern animation format. It’s my personal tribute to Shakti Samanta and he has very kindly agreed to involve himself as a consultant to the movie. Ashok Kumar was a friend and even though I did not know Madhubala personally, I had heard many stories about her from Kishore Kumar, who was one of my closest friends,” adds Nandy.

“Howrah Bridge is one of the most memorable films of that glorious period of Indian cinema and I am delighted to announce it as one of the first classics that we want to bring to today’s generation of viewers in an exciting new format like animation,” he added.

Motion Pixel Corporation chairman Manny Bains adds, “It’s a rare opportunity that one gets to remake a cult classic like Howrah Bridge and we are absolutely delighted to work with PNC on this wonderful film and bring it alive for the new generation of Bollywood movie watchers. As it is, everyone knows the movie’s hit songs by heart. It was also one of the biggest hits of Bollywood. Now today’s generation will be able to see the film in a bigger, sexier, more exciting, modern format, in full colour. This is going to be the first of our classic discoveries in Bollywood.”

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