‘Laapataa Ladies’ Accused of Copying Arabic Short Film ‘Burkha City’: Writer Denies Plagiarism, Director Fabrice Responds
Kiran Rao’s film Laapataa Ladies is facing serious allegations, with many on social media claiming that its storyline closely mirrors Burkha City, an Arabic short film by French filmmaker Fabrice Bracq. In response, both Laapataa Ladies writer Biplab Goswami and Burkha City director Fabrice Bracq have spoken out.
Similarities Between Laapataa Ladies and Burkha City
Speaking to IFP, Burkha City director Fabrice Bracq discussed the notable similarities between his short film and Laapataa Ladies. He revealed that he hadn’t seen Laapataa Ladies until he was informed about the alleged similarities.
“When I watched the film for the first time, I was surprised by how closely its pitch resembled mine,” he said. “The characters and the storyline are almost identical. Even the characters in Laapataa Ladies felt eerily similar to those in Burkha City.”
Director Fabrice: “Even the Endings Are the Same”
Fabrice further stated that the endings of both films are virtually the same. In each, the twist reveals that the woman deliberately chose to leave her husband. He shared that Burkha City was written in 2017, filmed in 2018, and screened at festivals in Kolkata and Auroville in 2020.
When asked how he felt after watching Laapataa Ladies, he responded, “I was shocked and heartbroken, especially after learning that the film received such a positive reception in India and was even shortlisted for the Oscars.”
He added, “I had plans to adapt Burkha City into a feature film, but now that may no longer be possible.” Fabrice mentioned that he intends to speak with the producers of Laapataa Ladies to resolve the matter.
Laapataa Ladies Writer Denies Plagiarism Allegations
In the meantime, Laapataa Ladies writer Biplab Goswami issued an official statement on Saturday, strongly denying the plagiarism accusations. He claimed that the story was registered with the Screenwriters Association back in 2014, and a feature-length version titled Two Brides was also registered in 2018.
“These accusations not only undermine me as a writer but also diminish the hard work of the entire film crew,” he stated.
Laapataa Ladies Released in 2023
Directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan, Laapataa Ladies was released in 2023. The film stars Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam, and Ravi Kishan in lead roles.
