'Laapataa Ladies' in the centre of plagiarism row

Several social media users have pointed out similarities with 2019 Arabic short film, 'Burqa City'

- By Manjusha Radhakrishnan

Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies, which was India's official entry to Oscars 2025, is reportedly at the centre of a plagiarism row.

Several social media users have pointed out similarities between Laapataa Ladies and the 2019 Arabic short film, Burqa City.

Directed by Fabrice Bracq, Burqa City is a 19-minute satirical film set in the Middle East. It follows a newlywed man who mistakenly takes home the wrong woman due to identical burqas, leading to a mix-up that explores themes of patriarchy, gender-based restrictions, and the erasure of women's identities.

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