Laapataa Ladies, Kiran Rao’s directorial venture that was released on March 1, 2024, is in the midst of some serious plagiarism accusations right now. The film received good word initially, but now it is accused of plagiarizing its plot from a 2019 Arabic film titled Burqa City. A clip from the Arabic movie went viral and exposed a surprisingly similar plot. In that movie, a newlywed groom goes on a mission to locate his bride after she gets mistakenly exchanged with another woman who is dressed in a burqa.
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Netizens React to the Alleged Copying
As the clip went viral on social media, the users promptly began comparing the two movies, questioning the originality of Laapataa Ladies. One user commented, “Nothing Bollywood makes these days is original; it’s all copy-pasted from somewhere.” Another posted, “Plagiarism in India is nothing new,” while a third person wrote, “I thought it was original… but at least the film gave us the lovely song Sajni Re by Arijit Singh.”
Kiran Rao’s Lapata Ladies, India’s official entry to the Oscars and projected as an original work, actually seems heavily inspired by a 2019 short film titled Burqa City.
Set in Middle East, the 19 min film follows a newlywed man whose wife gets exchanged due to identical… pic.twitter.com/b7GcHN2MmI
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) March 31, 2025
Plot and Reception of Laapataa Ladies
Shot on location in rural India in 2001, Laapataa Ladies is about the confusion of two brides on a train. The husbands are shown tracking down their rightful wives in this full of surprises film. Laapataa Ladies received a warm welcome at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2023 and even received a standing ovation. It has also been chosen as India’s official entry in the International Feature Film category at the 2025 Oscars.
Kiran Rao’s Comeback
Directed by Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions, Laapataa Ladies is Kiran Rao’s comeback to filmmaking since her 2011 release Dhobi Ghat. The film has a gifted star cast, including Sparsh Shrivastava, Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, and Ravi Kishan in important roles. Barring the controversy, it has been appreciated by a few top names in Bollywood, such as Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, and Vijay Varma.
