The Indian Chandler Bing
Cyrus Broacha, 53, performed Cyrus, the Chandler Bing character in Hey Mates, the Indian model of Mates, first aired in 1999
Again within the Nineteen Nineties, there was a man known as Ajit Pal Mangat who used to do loads of unofficial Hindi remakes of western exhibits. He determined to make a model of Mates utilizing principally MTV VJs. I used to be one. I performed the Chandler Bing character. I hadn’t seen the unique, however once I watched it later, I realised he’d solid me as a result of I’m the loudest and received’t cease speaking.
Our model was speculated to be similar to the unique. We had the identical characters and similar storylines, however we had cultural points. Ross’s spouse wasn’t allowed to go away him for one more lady – it needed to be for a person. Chandler wasn’t allowed to smoke. I believe we misplaced in translation the irreverence, the cheekiness of the present. And we have been attempting actually arduous to be like Individuals, from the garments to the hairstyles. They have been roughly precisely the identical as within the authentic.
Our collection resurfaced on-line in 2020. It went viral in India. Individuals have been making memes of us, speaking about how we had murdered the American Mates. It was merciless though, for me, most of it was fairly humorous. However then I began getting known as up by the Indian media, asking why we did the present and what was its purpose. You hardly ever speak about one thing that doesn’t work intimately. It’s virtually such as you’d failed your exams.
The Polish David Brent
Piotr Polak, 43, performs Michal Holc, the David Brent character within the Polish model of The Workplace, first aired in 2021
Once I was first solid, I used to be terrified. Then I bear in mind Canal+ airing the trailer and it was actually not good. I don’t assume that they had labored out the fashion of The Workplace, so it was shot like a typical trailer for a humorous household sitcom, moderately than a mockumentary. Once I noticed it, I believed: “Oh my God, Polish IMDb goes to kill us!” And other people sort of did. They have been posting: “Why would anyone do that?”; “Why can’t we make one thing authentic?” and “Who the hell is taking part in this David Brent man?” At first I laughed. Then it began to harm.
However after three weeks on air, the present turned higher. The American model is admittedly humorous. And what’s humorous within the British model is that it’s not humorous – you’ll be able to’t consider what’s taking place. We’ve discovered one thing in between and have simply completed the fourth season. There’s nonetheless a group who received’t watch it as they don’t wish to smash their favorite, however every season brings extra followers. I maintain getting messages on Instagram like: “Oh my God, my boss is identical.”
Since I’m fairly jumpy and expressive in actual life, the director got here up with the concept of strapping little weights to my ankles to weigh me down and make me stroll extra boss-like. In order that was the key of my portrayal.
The worst half about taking part in Michal? A season takes two months to shoot and for a few week after I nonetheless behave like David Brent. I’ve to remain house. You possibly can’t exit on the streets speaking that means.
The Mexican Gossip Woman
Sofía Sisniega, 35, performed Sofía López-Haro, the Serena van der Woodsen character in Gossip Woman: Acapulco, first aired in 2013
I wasn’t nervous about taking up Serena. I’d be extra scared if I needed to play a real-life icon. However I bear in mind some images of a pre-production shoot have been leaked earlier than the present was introduced, and a preferred weblog was fairly imply: “Ha ha ha, it’s so ridiculous. They need they have been in Gossip Woman.” I believe when the present got here out, lots of people got here round.
We shot on location in Acapulco. It was as soon as this glamorous coastal city, however when the conflict on medicine began it turned unsafe. We had the army following us as a result of we have been taking pictures in all these massive homes in the course of nowhere that folks couldn’t go to any extra. The producers tried to duplicate the style of the unique. They employed a cool styling crew who didn’t actually take the warmth or humidity into consideration. They’d put us in actually heat outfits impressed by the New York Gossip Woman – and we’d be melting as a result of we’d be taking pictures indoors with the AC turned off, typically with thick blankets overlaying the home windows.
What’s humorous is that after spending a lot cash on the present, the Mexican community didn’t know the place to air it. It was a co-production between Warner Bros and Televisa, who primarily produced conservative cleaning soap operas. They didn’t actually need a collection with a feminine lead like Serena, who was consuming and sleeping round. So everybody was speaking in regards to the present however nobody knew the place to look at it. I simply laughed and thought: “Wow, that is the most important manufacturing you’ve made, however you don’t wish to put it in your primary channel as a result of my character isn’t a virgin.”
The Colombian Walter White
Diego Trujillo, 64, performed Walter Blanco in Metástasis, the Colombian Breaking Unhealthy, first aired in 2014
I’d had an extended profession in cleaning soap operas once I acquired the decision for Metástasis. It was from Sony: they wished to do a Spanish-language model of Breaking Unhealthy to air throughout Latin America. I didn’t know in regards to the present – it was nonetheless fairly small. However then the US model began to change into actually well-known once we have been one month into making ours. Our producers thought this was unhealthy however, naively, I believed it was nice information: “I’m going to be as well-known as Bryan Cranston!”
I bear in mind Bryan despatched us a photograph of himself on Walter White’s mattress with Anna Gunn, who performed his spouse Skyler. That they had an indication saying: “Hey, Metástasis, good luck to you.” We performed Walter in another way: Bryan’s extra expressive, I’m extra low profile. I believe Bryan’s character evolves extra notoriously from chemistry instructor to drug kingpin Heisenberg. I really feel my Walter does it in a extra refined means.
The present aired throughout Latin America on public TV networks. I began to get messages from individuals like: “How will you dare to do what Bryan Cranston did?” or “How dare you remake such an incredible present?” However different individuals mentioned: “I like your model even higher.”
There are YouTube movies evaluating the 2 collection. You might purchase Walter Blanco T-shirts with my face on them, identical to the Walter White T-shirts with Bryan’s. At one level I had matching Walter collectible figurines on my desk. I nonetheless say it was a privilege to play that position. Once I went to Los Angeles to star in Griselda, the producer mentioned: “Hey, you probably did the Spanish Breaking Unhealthy!”
The Indian Jack Bauer
Anil Kapoor, 67, performed Jai Singh Rathod, the Jack Bauer character within the Indian 24, first aired in 2013
I had simply performed the TV host in Slumdog Millionaire and was in LA attempting to get an agent, doing the rounds of studios and executives. I met the individuals behind 24 at Fox they usually mentioned: “Would you want to seem within the present?” I knew about 24. Everybody was watching it in India. My mates mentioned I needed to do it.
after publication promotion
I performed the president of a fictitious nation known as Kamistan. I had a couple of scenes with Kiefer Sutherland however most of my elements have been within the UN. I used to be speculated to do 10 episodes and ended up doing 16. I actually favored the best way it was written and mentioned to the showrunner Howard Gordon: why not do that in India? Howard mentioned they’d do it on one situation: I performed Jack Bauer.
In our first season, identical to within the authentic, my character has 24 hours to save lots of the top of state – besides as a substitute of the president of America it’s the prime minister of India who’s in peril. Clearly, the unique is authentic. And there’s no person higher than Kiefer. He is 24. It was an enormous accountability for me, as a result of I believed individuals have been going to check us, particularly since I’m a recognized actor in India. However in the long run, individuals noticed Jai Singh Rathod as his personal man. He’s completely different to Jack Bauer in that, at coronary heart, he’s very Indian and Indians are positively extra emotional. We’re extra reactive and household values are a lot deeper.
We acquired nice critiques and swept up all of the TV awards that yr. There was even a recreation of the collection, which youngsters beloved. Even now, on social media, individuals ask me: “When are you doing the third season?”
The Turkish Frank Gallagher
Reha Özcan, 59, performed Fikri Elibol, the Frank Gallagher character in Bizim Hikaye, the Turkish Shameless, first aired in 2017
I used to look at the US Shameless with my spouse in our bed room, secretly, as a result of we didn’t need our youngsters to see it. I bear in mind my spouse saying: “Someday, I consider that you simply’re going to be taking part in that Frank Gallagher.” And I used to be like: “What unsuitable did I do to you that you simply assume I needs to be taking part in that? Ha!”
It was like a curse taking up the half after William H Macy as a result of the best way he performed the position within the US model is so iconic. I don’t recall viewers evaluating me to him: it was extra a problem inside me. However I’d finished loads of theatre. If you happen to play Hamlet in Turkey, you already know that, concurrently, the character is being portrayed elsewhere.
The unique Shameless criticises the system. Nevertheless it’s not as simple to try this in Turkey as in western international locations. There are establishments that management what viewers can expertise on nationwide TV. You can’t have an intense intercourse scene or violence. You possibly can’t present affairs – that’s a taboo, too. This clearly made taking part in Fikri extra tough. When he has an affair with the neighbour, we needed to trace at it subtly. Similar with the usage of pot. Typically we’d be shocked by what acquired previous the censor, like easter eggs to salute the unique model. Everybody thought it could solely final three to 4 episodes. Nevertheless it lasted 70.
The Dutch Kathy Beale
Aletta de Nes, 69, performed Carolien Martens, the Kathy Beale character in Het Oude Noorden, the Dutch EastEnders, first aired in 1993
Most individuals within the Netherlands knew about EastEnders, however didn’t watch it repeatedly. Nonetheless, I used to be excited to be solid within the Dutch model. They constructed the entire set in Rotterdam, in one of many harbours. That sort of stuff had by no means occurred earlier than within the Netherlands. All of us thought: “Whoa! In the event that they do that and it’s EastEnders, we’ve work for 20 years!”
The British scripts have been translated. I watched EastEnders a few instances to see what was happening, however we have been beginning the story proper at first so it was means forward of us. My character Carolien ran a market stall together with her husband. My primary reminiscence is of standing exterior for hours and hours to promote greens and fruit.
At first, there was loads of business consideration and folks began watching. However the broadcasting firm right here within the Netherlands made one large mistake: we solely broadcast as soon as every week. There are such a lot of characters that folks couldn’t observe it. One week was all about, say, me and my household, then the subsequent week, it was all about another person. So individuals acquired confused and stopped watching.
The Turkish Dawson’s Creek
Daghan Külegeç, 46, performed Efe Kaygisiz, the Pacey Witter character in Kavak Yelleri, the Turkish Dawson’s Creek, first aired in 2007
The unofficial Turkish model of Dawson’s Creek began like the unique, however by the fourth or fifth season it had change into “like a Turkish film” – which is a phrase utilized in Turkey to imply a mixture of each sort of style, from crime to romance to horror. The unique focuses on the relationships between the present’s younger individuals, however in our model loads of different stuff occurs – characters get kidnapped, launched, then kidnapped once more. It’s not actual life. They modified different issues too, like not having any homosexual characters.
I used to be 28 once I was solid. It aired on Thursdays at prime time and took one thing like 40% of the viewing share. Again then, if a present was profitable the entire household would watch, so I had teen woman followers but additionally fathers and grandfathers. I nonetheless get massive burly guys come as much as me saying they grew up watching it.
What appeared enjoyable on the floor wasn’t behind the scenes. Episodes have been movie-length and we’d be filming one each six days, working 15 hours every single day. Nobody can put together you for one thing like that. I acquired burnout and give up after one yr. They satisfied me to return again however I give up once more a few years later.
I used to be well-known – however I didn’t earn some huge cash. The present should have rerun 250 instances through the years however actors don’t get royalties in Turkey. I’ve not made a dime off it since filming.
Supply hyperlink
