Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies accused of copying Arabic film Burqa City, netizens find similarities: ‘Bollywood runs on…’

Bollywood has been facing a growing concern – its reputation for relying heavily on remakes, adaptations, and allegedly copying ideas from other sources. The lack of originality has sparked intense debate and criticism among audiences, critics, and industry insiders. And the latest victim is Kiran Rao’s highly-acclaimed Laapataa Ladies (2023)

In a shocking revelation, netizens have discovered that a recently released film’s concept bears a striking resemblance to an Arabic film, Burqa City, sparking controversy and debate months after its initial release. This uncovering has led to accusations of idea theft and plagiarism, with many fans expressing disappointment and outrage on social media platforms.

Netizens have accused filmmaker Kiran Rao of plagiarising the 2019 film Burqa City to create Laapataa Ladies. The allegations suggest that Rao replaced the concept of burqas with ghoonghats while maintaining a similar theme and message about patriarchy, societal norms, and women’s identity.

On X, a user shared a post highlighting the similarities between the two films, including a scene inspired by Ravi Kishan’s police station scene in Burqa City. Another user expressed disappointment in Bollywood’s tendency to copy ideas, stating, “Don’t expect much from Bollywood. Bollywood runs on copying.”
 

March 31, 2025

The accusations have sparked a conversation about creative ownership in the film industry. While some netizens have criticized Rao for allegedly copying the idea, others are calling for greater transparency and accountability in filmmaking practices.
 

 April 1, 2025

Earlier, when Laapataa Ladies was released, some people noticed similarities with a short film called Ghoonghat Ke Pat Khol. The short film’s director, Anant Mahadevan, also acknowledged the similarities. However, Kiran Rao denied knowing about the short film. Now, with netizens claiming Laapataa Ladies was copied from an Arabic movie, it remains to be seen how Kiran Rao will respond to these new allegations.