So I'm sitting there in English and we just finished Hamlet. Of course, my Germano-Pakistani pal recommends that I watch a movie called "Haider", which is a modernized version of Hamlet set in Kashmir, India.
Of course I set out to watch it with the intent of comparing it with Shakespeare's OC. Needless to say, it was one of the best adaptations I've seen, although it strays heavily from the original play's chronology, and the plot deviates just as much. However, those sins could definitely be redeemed somewhat by the obligatory song-and-dance routines that Bollywood is famous for.
And this brings me to another idea: Are there any adaptations of classic plays (or literature in general) set in more foreign (relative to the country of origin) backdrops that you guys have seen recently? Feel free to just respond with whatever movie you think of and what it is based off of.

I didn't watch anithing else but Omkara from the same director, that's another film based on Shakespeare work. And yes it's far from the book itself, but it does not intend to be the same in any point at all. If the film limitates itself based on the work of Shakespare, I doubt very much that the movie would be as good as Haider. Vishal Bhardwaj uses the conception of human sins and the very interpretation of human soul that Shakespeare writes and creates something new, and wonderful with those ideias. I highly recomend Vishal Bhardwaj works.

I watched an anime called Zetsuen no Tempest (Blast of Tempest) and it's sort of a twist/adaptation from Shakespeare's "The Tempest." It was really interesting to watch and suspenseful at times. I think it was well done.

Funnily enough, there is another Asian Hamlet adaption that deviates quite a bit from the original:

Feng Xiaogang's The Banquet

It's visually appealing, but the Wu Xia version fails to bring any additional depth to Shakespeare's play. So, watch it for the setting and the gorgeous soundtrack, but don't expect too much from this costume drama.