Kiran Rao’s widely discussed directorial Laapataa Ladies has been accused of being inspired by the 2019 Arabic film Burqa City. A recently surfaced video from Burqa Cityon social media has sparked speculation among netizens about the originality of Rao’s Bollywood film. The viral clip shows that the Arabic movie follows a newlywed man searching for his wife after she is mistakenly swapped with another burqa-clad woman.
As the video gained traction on social media, netizens reacted with skepticism, questioning whether Kiran Rao had copied the concept from the Arabic film. One user commented, “Nothing that Bollywood produces seems to be an original work of art. They are all brazenly copy pasted from somewhere else, shamelessly billed as original work.” Another added, “Plagiarism in India. Not a new concept.” A third user expressed disappointment, saying, “Abhi kuch nahi ho sakta..I was under the impression that it was original..good that this movie gave one beautiful song ‘Sajni re’ by Arijit.”
Laapataa Ladies hit theatres on March 1, 2024. Directed by Kiran Rao, the film stars Sparsh Shrivastava, Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, and Ravi Kishan in key roles. Set in rural India in 2001, the story follows two brides who are mistakenly swapped during a train journey, leading to a series of twists as their husbands set out to find the real bride.
Produced by Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions, Laapataa Ladiesmarked Kiran Rao’s directorial return after Dhobi Ghat. Before its theatrical release, the film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it received a standing ovation. Celebrities like Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, and Vijay Varma also praised the movie. It was later chosen as India’s official entry for the International Feature Film category at the 2025 Oscars.
