Chennai: Actor Rana Daggubati has opened up about his experience starring in the Tamil adaptation of the beloved Malayalam film Bangalore Days, admitting that the remake, Bangalore Naatkal, failed to capture the charm of the original.

Speaking to film critic Sudhir Srinivasan during promotions for his upcoming project Kaantha, Rana said, “Dulquer and I are schoolmates. The first role of his that I really loved was his character in Bangalore Days. But when we remade it in Tamil, we completely ruined it.”

Rana, who played the role originally essayed by Fahadh Faasil, was joined by Arya, who took on Dulquer Salmaan’s character, and Bobby Simha, reprising Nivin Pauly’s role. The film also featured Parvathy Thiruvothu, Lakshmi Rai, Sri Divya, and a cameo by Samantha Ruth Prabhu.

Recalling a humorous moment from the shoot, Rana shared a quip from Arya: “I still remember what Arya told me—he said, ‘Machaa, look at Dulquer and Nivin—they’re young boys. But when people see us, we look like middle-aged men living a retired life,’” Rana laughed.

Directed by Bhaskar, Bangalore Naatkal attempted to recreate the magic of Anjali Menon’s Malayalam blockbuster, but the remake failed to resonate with audiences and performed poorly at the box office.

Reflecting on his decision to join the project, Rana told IANS in 2020, “I was part of the Tamil remake of Bangalore Days. The film performed terribly at the box office, and I wish we hadn’t remade such a beautiful film.”

Despite the setback, Rana remains candid about his experience, describing it as a memorable yet regretful chapter in his career, and a reminder that some films are best left untouched.