Bollywood Controversies: Laapataa Ladies Accused of Copying Scene from Arabic Film

India’s official entry for the Oscars, Laapataa Ladies, is facing controversy after a scene from the Arabic short film Burqa City went viral. Many have noticed that a police station scene in both movies looks almost the same, raising questions about whether the filmmakers were inspired or copied it.

What’s surprising is that it took almost a year for people to notice this similarity, despite the internet being so quick to catch such things. This isn’t the first time Laapataa Ladies has been in trouble. Earlier, actor-director Ananth Mahadevan claimed that the movie’s story is similar to his 1999 TV film Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol. He even hinted at this on social media, saying, “My film won an award under a different name… but a rose is a rose by any name.”

While Laapataa Ladies and Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol start the same way, they take different turns later. Similarly, Burqa City has a similar idea but is only 19 minutes long. Despite these controversies, all three films focus on questioning patriarchy. The makers of Laapataa Ladies have not yet responded to the plagiarism claims.

Other Film Controversies in Early 2025

• L2: Empuraan’s Changes
  The Malayalam movie L2: Empuraan, one of the most expensive films in the industry, faced backlash for its villain’s name, scenes of violence against women, and references to real-life issues like riots and the Mullaperiyar Dam. Religious groups also protested against scenes involving the Church. The filmmakers made 17 changes before releasing the movie.

• Chhaava’s Historical Disputes
  Vicky Kaushal’s movie Chhaava was a box-office hit but faced trouble before its release. Some groups accused it of twisting historical facts, leading director Laxman Utekar to apologize. A traditional dance scene also sparked controversy and was removed, but even after the release, people are accusing the film of creating religious tensions.

• Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency Delayed
  Emergency, directed by Kangana Ranaut, was supposed to release in 2023 but finally hit theaters in January 2025. The Censor Board asked for 13 cuts, including violent scenes and a dialogue mentioning Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Only after these changes was the film approved for release.

• Punjab 95’s Struggle with Censorship
  The film Punjab 95, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra (played by Diljit Dosanjh), has yet to release. The Censor Board suggested over 120 cuts, which the filmmakers refused. The title also created issues. The film’s future is uncertain, but the director is determined to release it.

With Laapataa Ladies facing fresh controversy, all eyes are on the filmmakers for a response. As filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard once said, “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.”