Over the past decade, the issue of plagiarism in Bollywood movies has become more prominent. Filmmakers are so fixated on making money that they aren't willing to take the risk that comes with making an original story. In recent years, almost every Bollywood movie has been inspired by either a Hollywood movie, or from some other global cinema. Being inspired by a certain story is not something uncommon in the industry, but not acknowledging that the ideas belong to someone else and the exact replication of the work is what raises concerns.
Several bollywood blockbusters have been accused of plagiarism, examples include Ghajini which was accused of having similarities with Christopher Nolan’s movie, Memento. The movie, Satte Pe Satta, is considered to be a copy of the Hollywood movie, Seven Brides for Seven Sisters. Another example is, Meray Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, which has a lot of similarities with My Best Friend’s wedding. Plagiriams is not just limited to storylines but also extends to posters of movies and songs. An example of a movie poster being copied is Kangana Ranauat’s Judgmental Hai Kya, which according to Flora Borsi, a Hungarian visual artist , is a copy of her work.
To deal with the issue of plagiarism it is imperative to implement laws regarding copyright which ensure that filmmakers don’t blatantly copy each other’s work. Moreover, it is essential to stress more on original content and encourage filmmakers to come up with new storylines and move away from narratives that have already been told by others.
Interesting article! Although I believe that constantly replicating movies can stifle creativity and diminish the uniqueness of artistic content, the concept of intertextuality does hold significance. Drawing inspiration from other artistic pieces is a common practice and can stimulate artists to create something based on what inspires them. However, outright copying an idea is unfair. Filmmakers should strive to inject their touch of originality to ensure a unique and distinctive outcome.