The director of the short film Burqa City, Fabrice Bracq, has expressed his surprise and disappointment after seeing strong similarities between his 2019 film and the Indian movie Laapataa Ladies. While the latter has already been involved in a plagiarism controversy, this is the first time that comparisons have been made between Laapataa Ladies and Bracq’s film.
Burqa City and Laapataa Ladies Similarities
Bracq, when asked about the issue, pointed out the notable similarities between Burqa City and Laapataa Ladies. According to him, both films share certain character traits and plot elements, particularly the husbands of the main female characters and the scenes involving a police officer and his assistants.
One of the biggest similarities lies in a key scene where a husband goes around different shops showing a photo of his wife, who is veiled in a burqa. This moment from Laapataa Ladies closely mirrors a similar sequence from Burqa City. In both films, the husband shows the photo to shopkeepers, and then, unexpectedly, the shopkeeper’s wife emerges wearing a burqa, which almost seems like an homage to Bracq’s original short film.
Themes of Women’s Emancipation
Another similarity Bracq highlighted is the central theme of both films—the emancipation of women. In both Burqa City and Laapataa Ladies, a woman leaves her abusive husband, seeking a life of freedom and independence. This theme of feminism and female empowerment runs strongly throughout both stories, a crucial part of Burqa City that resonated with Bracq and inspired him to create the film.
The Plagiarism Controversy
Laapataa Ladies, which is India’s official entry to the Oscars, has already been at the center of a plagiarism controversy. The filmmakers were previously accused of copying the plot of Ananth Mahadevan’s Ghunghat ke Pat Khol. However, these accusations were downplayed by the writers of Laapataa Ladies, including Biplab Goswami, who stated that the screenplay for the film was developed over several years, with a detailed synopsis registered as far back as 2014.
When asked about the current situation, Bracq said he hadn’t even heard of Laapataa Ladies until the controversy came to light. “When I first learned about the film, I was surprised at how closely the pitch matched my short film. After watching it, I was shocked to see that many elements from Burqa City were present, though adapted to Indian culture,” he explained.
Fabrice Bracq’s Reaction
Bracq, clearly disappointed by the situation, said that he was both “shocked and saddened” by the similarities. He also mentioned that Laapataa Ladies has become quite successful in India and was even shortlisted for the Oscars, which made the situation more frustrating for him. Bracq had also been in discussions to adapt Burqa City into a feature film and now wonders if that project is still possible given the current circumstances.
“I had high hopes for adapting Burqa City into a feature, but now I’m unsure if that’s even feasible,” said Bracq. He expressed his intention to speak with the team behind Laapataa Ladies to better understand the situation.
As the plagiarism controversy continues to unfold, Bracq’s reaction highlights the challenges filmmakers face when their creative work is potentially copied. While Laapataa Ladies has achieved major success, the filmmaker behind Burqa City is left questioning the future of his own project. Only time will tell what the next steps will be, but the story behind the controversy serves as an important reminder of how closely guarded ideas and intellectual property are in the world of cinema.
