New Delhi, Apr 25: The re-release of “Andaz Apna Apna” in theatres on Friday after a long and meticulous restoration process has been an emotional journey for the family of late Vinay Sinha, the producer of the 1994 cult hit.
The Rajkumar Santoshi-directed comedy, which featured an ensemble cast of Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon and Paresh Rawal, was produced by Sinha through his banner Vinay Pictures.
According to his daughter Priti Sinha, the movie has been restored and remastered in 4K with 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound at the renowned Prasad Film Labs.
“Restoring and re-releasing ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ has been an emotional journey for our family. This re-release is a tribute to our father, honouring his vision and legacy. We have added an un-picturised song from the film’s original music album in the additional opening credits of the film,” Priti said in a statement.
The original picture and sound negatives of “Andaz Apna Apna” were carefully stored and preserved by Sinha since its initial release in 1994.
The producer’s family said the idea of a theatrical re-release of the film was mooted by Salman during a conversation where he suggested them to first restore the movie.
Sinha’s grandson Shrey Oberoi, who played a pivotal role in overseeing the entire grading and restoration process, said a lot of effort and precision went into making “Andaz Apna Apna” sparkle again on screen.
The audio restoration process presented a distinctive set of challenges. The original sound negative has only mixed mono tracks, with no isolated stems or multitrack elements available, he said.
Reconstructing a 5.1 Dolby surround experience from such constrained source material required both technical expertise and creative sensitivity. Prasad Film Labs undertook the task by designing and integrating new Foley and sound effects (SFX) tracks, recreating elements where necessary, while deliberately preserving the integrity of the original background music score to maintain the film’s authenticity.
The final sound mix was reviewed and approved by Rakesh Ranjan, the original sound designer of “Andaz Apna Apna”, he said.
The family also roped in senior director of photography, Sunil Patel, entrusting him with the task of supervising the colour grading process. Ishwar Bidri, who worked as a cinematographer, passed away in 2020.
The colour correction was executed with both technical precision and artistic sensitivity, revitalising the visuals while remaining faithful to the original tone and nostalgic essence that fans have cherished for decades, the family said.
Namrata, Sinha’s other daughter, said her father was very close to Salman’s screenwriter father, Salim Khan, and that’s how the superstar became a part of the film. Aamir, who joined later, suggested Rajkumar Santoshi’s name as a director.
Santoshi initially thought Sinha wanted him to direct two separate movies — one with Aamir and another with Salman.
“Upon learning that both stars were signed by Papa for one film as a 2 hero project, Rajji was excited and immediately confirmed that he was on board as a director. My father had a clear vision when he signed Aamir and Salman, he wanted to make a light-hearted, fun-filled love story and he shared his thoughts with director Rajkumar Santoshi and this idea went on to shape ‘Andaz Apna Apna’,” Namrata added.
Sinha’s son Amod assisted Santoshi on “Andaz Apna Apna” while also fulfilling his duties as part of the production team.
“I saw my father pour his heart into the film in the four long years it was in the making. With his hard work and unending commitment, my father ensured that the film was released successfully in 1994,” Amod added.
The family said they are honouring Sinha’s legacy by re-releasing the film, which achieved cult status during their father’s lifetime.
“We miss him and are taking his legacy forward by producing the ‘Andaz Apna Apna 2’ sequel after this re-release,” the family said in its statement.
The film has been distributed by Cinepolis India and re-released in all theatre chains across India. (PTI)
