`Idukki Gold` to be remade in Hindi

Chennai: Malayalam blockbuster `Idukki Gold`, directed by Aashiq Abu, is all set to be remade in Hindi and shooting is likely to begin by next year.

"Talks are on to make the Hindi version of the film and I will most probably be directing it," Abu said. `Idukki Gold`, released in mid-last year, is about a trip down memory lane for five friends in their 50s. The senior characters in the movie were played by Pratap Pothen, Raveendran (a popular actor in Malayalam and Tamil movies in the late 1970s and 80s), Maniyanpillai Raju, Vijayaraghavan and Babu Antony. "It (shooting) will happen by next year end," Abu, who debuted with Mammootty starrer- `Daddy Cool` in 2009, he said. The Tamil, Telugu and Hindi remake rights of his hit film `Salt N Pepper` has been acquired by actor-director Prakash Raj. "I guess shooting for all versions have been completed, and it will be released soon." The 2012 film `22 Female Kottayam`, starring Rima Kallingal and Fahad Fazil was a benchmark in his career as the strong woman-centric movie skyrocketed Abu into the top bracket of directors and fetched him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director. However, its remake in Tamil `Malini 22 Palayamkottai` with Nithya Menen reprising Kallingal`s role was not successful. "The concept was bought but then others express it in their own way, they have their own perspective. To tell you the truth, I have not seen it." Abu`s next project is with Prithviraj and the movie is titled `Valathuvasathe Kallan` (Thief on the right side). "Jesus was crucified between two thieves, and the story is that the thief on the right side was a good thief, but the film has nothing to do with Christ. It is kind of a satire. We are scouting for new faces for the movie," he said.