Seems like Bollywood is running low on original stories to create. Perhaps, having imposed a ban on Pakistani artists, our neighboring film industry is not only running short on talent, but ideas as well. One after another, Pakistani films, songs, and music videos are being heavily plagiarized across the border and this time, it is Nabeel Qureshi’s superhit film Load Wedding making the rounds in terms of the discussion.
Load Wedding – Raksha Bandhan
Load Wedding starred Fahad Mustafa, Mehwish Hayat and Faiza Hassan in prominent roles, and now, Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film Raksha Bandhan seems to be highly influenced by the same.
Not only is the setting of the film similiar, Akshay Kumar plays a character influenced by the one Fahad Mustufa played, and Faiza Hassan’s sister has been divided into four sisters. Bhumi Padnekar takes up the role Mehwish Hayat portrayed. You can give due credit where it’s deserved when it comes to the production value, screenplay and dialogues, but yes the concept has been a rip-off, which isn’t really a cool move at all. It is worth noting that the Bollywood venture has been produced by Zee Studios, which was a partner for Load Wedding as well.
Load Wedding focused on how the practice of dowry can wreck havoc in many lives of people belonging to the middle and lower class and Raksha Bandhan also seems to be following a similar concept.
Bollywood: Numerous Instances Of Plagiarism?
However, this isn’t the first time Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza’s work has been “allegedly” copied in Bollywood. Earlier, a music video titled “Ki Jana” by Nabeel Qureshi featuring Sonya Hussyn and Mohsin Abbas Haider was been plagiarized by an Indian artist. Sunny Nahal’s film for Brham Darya’s ‘Mood Happy’ looked strikingly similar to the one directed by Qureshi. From the actors’ wardrobes to the set, the two music videos looked exactly alike – even the opening for both was exactly similar. A copy, frame by frame indeed.
Another one of Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza’s film was copied by Bollywood earlier. The film Batti Gul Meter Chalu starring Shahid Kapoor was highly influenced by the duo’s Actor In Law. And even before that, a Bhojpuri film that copied Actor In Law frame by frame.
Remake Vs Copy
When it is termed as a ‘remake’ the fact that a film’s concept/frames are copied doesn’t become an offense. However, lifting the entire setting, idea, costume design, screenplay with improvisations thrown here and there – that’s a blantant copy and it has apparently been happening in Bollywood for quite some time now. There are a number of Pakistani films that have been copied (albeit exceptionally) in Bollywood and that too by A-listers.
Previous Instances In Bollywood
Back in the golden era of Bollywood, Pakistani Golden Jubilee movie and a record breaking film, Dooriyan was copied in India as Aandhiyan. The director didn’t even bother to change the plot but sadly, even Shatrugun Sinha as the lead couldn’t save the film from drowning. Superhit Pakistani film Aaina was also copied by Bollywood multiple times. One of the versions starred the very famous Sashi Kapoor titled Aa Galay Lag Ja.
Another film by Dharmendra titled Jhuta Sach with Rekha, was a carbon copy of ‘Sangdil’ starring Nadeem Baig. And this only happens to be the tip of the iceberg.
Conclusion
In this day and age of call-outs becoming easy and legal action being broached at the drop of a hat, one would assume that an industry as big as Bollywood would be more careful, or creative. Borrowing concepts without credits is an embarrassing move, and we hope we’ve seen the last of the same from Bollywood.
