Entertainment: Tripura-based screenwriter Biplab Goswami, the creative force behind the widely praised film “Laapataa Ladies,” has firmly refuted claims of plagiarism that have recently surfaced regarding the movie’s storyline.
Goswami issued a statement following the circulation on social media earlier this week of a brief clip from the 2019 Arabic short film titled “Burqa City.” Some social media users pointed out perceived similarities between the narratives of the two cinematic works.
The short film “Burqa City” depicts the story of a newly married man embarking on a search for his wife after she is mistakenly identified as another woman due to her wearing a burqa.
Similarly, “Laapataa Ladies” centers on the character of Deepak, who finds himself in search of his new bride after she is unintentionally exchanged with another woman who is also veiled by a ghoonghat while traveling on a train.
In his statement, which he shared on his official Instagram account, Goswami unequivocally stated that the accusations are completely “untrue.”
“Our story, characters, and dialogues are 100% original. Any allegations of plagiarism are completely untrue. These allegations not just undermine my efforts as a writer, but also the tireless efforts of the entire filmmaking team,” Goswami asserted.
Goswami further elaborated that the screenplay for “Laapataa Ladies,” which was released in theaters in March 2024 and subsequently selected as India’s official entry for the 2025 Academy Awards, underwent extensive development over a significant period.
“I first registered the film’s detailed synopsis, outlining the entire story with the working title ‘Two Brides’, with the Screenwriters Association on July 3, 2014. Even within this registered synopsis, there is a scene that clearly describes the groom bringing home the wrong bride and being shocked and stricken upon realising his mistake because of the veil, along with the rest of his family. This is where the story takes off. I had also clearly written about the scene of the worried groom going to the police station and showing the only photograph he had of his missing bride to the police officer, but the bride’s face was covered with a veil, resulting in a comedic moment,” he explained.
Goswami also mentioned that he registered the full-length script of “Two Brides” with the Screenwriters Association in June 2018.
“This script won the runner-up award at the Cinestaan Storytellers Competition in 2018. Again, in this screenplay, I had the scene of the policeman amused by the photograph of the veiled bride,” he added.
According to Goswami, the narrative device of veils and disguises leading to mistaken identities is a time-honored technique in storytelling, employed by literary giants across centuries, including William Shakespeare, Alexandre Dumas, and Rabindranath Tagore.
“‘Laapataa Ladies’ uses this mistaken identity form with entirely original and unique characters, setting, narrative journey, and social impact,” he clarified.
“The story, the dialogues, the characters, and the scenes-all stem from years of research and honest reflection. I was deeply invested in understanding the nuances of gender discrimination and inequality, rural power dynamics, and male chauvinisoa across both Indian and global contexts,” Goswami concluded.
Directed by Kiran Rao, “Laapataa Ladies” features performances by Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam, and Ravi Kishan. The film was produced by Rao’s Kindling Pictures, Aamir Khan’s Aamir Khan Productions, and Jio Studios.
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