18 Years Ago, Bollywood Made Its Own Stephen King Adaptation You Didn't Know About
In the 2000s, the work of the main horror writer of our time reached India.
Adapting the works of Stephen King is no easy task. As it turns out, the best format for it is the series: here, King's usual bright characters will not be deprived of screen time, and the leisurely narrative will conveniently stretch over a dozen episodes.
But who would have thought that the most prolific film industry in the world, Bollywood, would not only undertake the adaptation of King, but also successfully cope with this task?
In 2007, the story Quitters, Inc. from the anthology Night Shift was transferred to the big screen. The film titled No Smoking became the first King adaptation to be produced in India.
What Is No Smoking About?
K, a successful businessman, is so addicted to smoking that he can't go a minute without a cigarette, and it's already making his life unbearable.
His wife leaves him, and problems arise at work. And then, on the advice of his friend Abbas, he decides to contact a smoking cessation company that guarantees a 100% result. Of course, the company called The Laboratory is full of dark secrets and mysteries.
No Smoking Is Often Compared to David Lynch's Films
In the year of its release, No Smoking did not receive the most flattering reviews: in its native India, the film was panned by both critics and viewers. Later, however, it received some recognition, with some critics even comparing it to the works of David Lynch.
No Snoking is being compared to Lynch for a reason. Director Anurag Kashyap creatively reworked the content of the original story.
He moved the action to India, diluted it with mysticism, phantasmagoria and surrealism, and came up with many details and nuances that simply could not fit into the framework of the story.
No Smoking won't give you all the answers or a definitive finale, but it's an unusual take on King's original story and a surreal meditation on addiction that's definitely worth a look.
No Smoking is Not the First Adaptation of Quitters, Inc.
In 1985, the movie Cat's Eye, which is almost forgotten today, was based on three stories by Stephen King, two of which are included in the Night Shift collection, and the third was written specifically for this project.
The main character of the three-part movie is a homeless cat – he is the one who connects all three storylines.
In the first part, Quitters, Inc., the cat witnesses the strange methods of "treatment" used in a company that promises to cure patients of cigarette addiction. The office staff keeps a close eye on their clients, and if you violate at least one of their prohibitions, all of their worst threats will come true.