Hold onto your seats, because the Bollywood-Korean crossover you never saw coming is here! Korean producer Hyunwoo Thomas Kim is making waves in Mumbai, and his latest move involves none other than Akshay Kumar. But here’s where it gets exciting: Kim has already teamed up with Sujoy Ghosh, who’s been working on the draft for this mysterious project. Could this be the next big hit? Let’s dive in.
For nearly a decade, Hyunwoo Thomas Kim, the mastermind behind Kross Pictures, has been quietly revolutionizing Indian cinema with unconventional films like Te3n (2016), Jaane Jaan (2023), Blind (2023), and Saakini Daakini (2022). His journey in India was beautifully captured in a Mid-Day article by Mayank Shekhar, shedding light on his unique approach to filmmaking.
But here’s where it gets controversial: Kim’s entry into Bollywood wasn’t without its hurdles. In 2014, he almost dismissed emails from Balaji Motion Pictures as spam! Turns out, they were seeking rights to remake The Devotion of Suspect X in Hindi. Intrigued, Kim asked who would direct—and when he heard it was Sujoy Ghosh, he was sold. After watching Ghosh’s Kahaani (2012), Kim flew to Mumbai, met the team, and handed over the remake rights.
Kim’s fascination with Mumbai is palpable. In his Mid-Day interview, he shared how the city’s English-speaking population made business seamless. He began frequenting India, noting, “India has a massive market, incredible directors, and talented actors, but there’s a gap in writers compared to Korea. I saw an opportunity.” And this is the part most people miss: Initially, many thought Kim was either crazy or had a secret girlfriend in India. Spoiler: He doesn’t!
However, the Devotion of Suspect X remake, Jaane Jaan, didn’t hit screens until 2023. Why the delay? Kim revealed that Drishyam (2013), inspired by the same story, had already been released. Here’s the bold part: Kim considered suing the makers of Drishyam but backed off when Ekta Kapoor withdrew her involvement. But he didn’t stop there—he successfully sued the makers of the Kannada film Pushpaka Vimana (2017), an unauthorized remake of Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013), whose rights he owns. The Bombay High Court ruled in his favor, restraining the filmmakers from awarding satellite or telecast rights.
Now, Kim is setting his sights on a new Korean film remake, and he’s approached Akshay Kumar for the lead role. In a recent interview, Kim revealed, “I just texted Akshay, who’s in London, asking him to watch a film everyone in the industry knows. Sujoy Ghosh has already worked on the draft. If Akshay agrees, we’ve got a project.” But here’s the question: Will this collaboration redefine Bollywood-Korean collaborations, or will it face the same challenges as his past projects? Only time will tell.
Kim’s integration into the Hindi film industry has been seamless. He’s rubbed shoulders with the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, who even messaged him about a script. His ability to bridge cultures and create unique cinema is undeniable.
Thought-provoking question for you: Do you think Bollywood needs more international collaborations like Kim’s, or should it focus on homegrown talent? Let us know in the comments!
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting project and catch the latest Bollywood news, movie releases, box office collections, and more, only on Bollywood Hungama!
