Director Kiran Rao’s film, Laapataa Ladies, has gained praise from critics but is now facing plagiarism claims. Many social media users believe the film is similar to the 2019 Arabic movie Burqa City. These claims started after a video showing a scene from Burqa City went viral online.

The viral clip raised questions about the originality of Laapataa Ladies, which was also India’s official entry to the Oscars this year. People pointed out similarities in the plot, which follows a newlywed man searching for his wife after she is mistakenly swapped with another woman wearing a burqa.

After watching the video, several people on the internet debated whether Rao’s film was directly “copied” or simply “inspired” by Burqa City.

A user on X (formerly Twitter) commented, “Abhi kuch nahi ho sakta.. I was under the impression that it was original. Good that this movie gave one beautiful song, Sajni Re, by Arijit (Nothing can happen now).” Another user asked, “Inspired or copied?”

One more person shared their thoughts, saying, “It’s intriguing that Laapataa Ladies has drawn comparisons to Burqa City given the striking similarities in themes and narrative structure. If Rao’s film indeed mirrors key aspects of Burqa City, it raises valid questions about originality and the fine line between inspiration and imitation. While it’s possible that Rao took inspiration from the short film, the core message about patriarchy, societal norms, and the loss of identity is universal and worth exploring. However, recognising the source of inspiration is essential, especially when it comes to international recognition like the Oscars.”

Not the first plagiarism controversy

This is not the first time Laapataa Ladies has been accused of copying another film. In July 2024, actor Ananth Mahadevan claimed that the movie was very similar to his 1999 film Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol. His film also had a unique storyline where brides got mixed up at a railway station.

Laapataa Ladies was released in theatres on March 1, 2024. It featured actors Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, and Sparsh Shrivastava. The movie takes place in rural India in the year 2001 and tells the story of two brides who are mistakenly swapped during a train journey. As their husbands try to find them, many surprising events take place.

The film was produced by Aamir Khan and also starred Ravi Kishan in an important role. Although it did not do well in cinemas, it later became very popular on Netflix.

People are still debating whether the film copied another movie or was simply inspired by it. Some believe it should give credit to its inspiration, while others argue that similar stories can exist without being copied.

 

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