Laapataa Ladies was supposed to be that rare gem – a social satire wrapped in humour with a heartfelt core. Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan put their soul into it, pushing it all the way to an Oscar entry! But looks like the dream run hit a major roadblock because the film is now caught up in a plagiarism controversy. The reason? Allegedly, it’s a ‘remix’ of the 2019 Arabic film Burqa City!
Laapataa Ladies Is A Copy-Paste or Coincidence? Internet Detectives Are On It!
A viral clip from Burqa City has social media in a frenzy. The storyline? A newlywed man frantically searches for his wife after he accidentally swaps her with another burqa-clad woman. Sound familiar? Laapataa Ladies follows a similar plotline where brides get exchanged mid-journey.
Netizens, who never miss a chance to call out Bollywood for “taking inspiration” (read: copying), wasted no time in expressing their outrage. While one comment read, “Bollywood and originality? A love story that never existed.” Another user wrote, “Plagiarism is basically an industry tradition now.” To highlight the positive aspect another wrote, “At least we got Sajni Re out of this mess.”
With so much buzz, the burning question remains – did Kiran Rao’s film borrow too heavily, or is this just another case of ‘great minds think alike’?
Another Filmmaker Made A Similar Claim!
Burqa City isn’t the only film that Laapataa Ladies is being compared to; veteran filmmaker Anant Mahadevan previously claimed that his 1999 film Ghoonghat Ke Pat Khol inspired the movie. That’s two accusations in one go! Coincidence or pattern? You decide.
It resembles the 90s DD serial "Ghonghat ke phat khol".
— decodingmyroots.com – ????????? ???????? (@MonaADhar) March 31, 2025
Two brides get exchanged . pic.twitter.com/GNzqvtrbUQ
From TIFF Ovation To Oscar Snub
Laapataa Ladies premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2023, receiving a standing ovation. They selected it as India’s official entry for the 2025 Oscars in the International Feature Film category. But now, with these plagiarism allegations swirling around, the chances of making it to Hollywood’s biggest stage seem uncertain.
What’s The Hype About Laapataa Ladies?
Directed by Kiran Rao, Laapataa Ladies is set in rural India in 2001, where two brides get accidentally swapped during a train journey. What follows is chaos, confusion, and a sharp critique of society’s deep-rooted obsession with controlling women’s lives. With its mix of humour, social commentary, and female resilience, the film was hailed as a refreshing take on empowerment.
Starring Sparsh Shrivastava, Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, and Ravi Kishan, the film marked Kiran Rao’s grand comeback after Dhobi Ghat.
Is It Plagiarism Or Not?
As of now, Kiran Rao and her team have not addressed the allegations, and the debate rages on. Did Laapataa Ladies really “adapt” Burqa City, or is this just a classic case of different filmmakers exploring a similar concept?
What do you think – original masterpiece or an uncredited remake? Drop your thoughts below!
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Also Read: Aamir Khan Addresses Laapataa Ladies’ Oscars Miss; Here’s What He Said
