Biplab Goswami, the writer behind the film Laapataa Ladies, has expressed deep disappointment over allegations that his story was copied from the 2019 Arabic short film Burqa City. Taking to Instagram and X, Biplab firmly denied the accusations, stressing that the claims were baseless and made without giving him an opportunity to share his side.
In a candid post, Biplab revealed that he had registered his story, originally titled Two Brides, with the Screenwriters Association back in 2014. He completed the full script by 2018, well before Burqa City even released. “No one even asked me about this,” he shared. “I wasn’t even aware of the comparisons until Saturday. It has been very painful.”
Speaking exclusively to HT City, Biplab elaborated that he holds clear documentation proving the originality and registration of his work. “I registered my story in 2014 and the full script in 2018. I have all the proof. Yet, people started believing these allegations without even verifying them,” he said, adding that he was deeply hurt by the sudden negativity.
The controversy also impacted the Laapataa Ladies team. “We all sat together and discussed what was happening. Everyone was stressed. As a writer, when your credibility is questioned like this, it feels terrible,” Biplab admitted. “It’s heartbreaking that no one thought to even ask me once before passing judgment. I spent 10 years working on this story, and our entire team put their heart into the film.”
Previously, Laapataa Ladies had faced comparisons with the 1999 film Ghoonghat Ke Pat Khol, but Biplab had dismissed those claims as well. Clarifying again, he said, “This is entirely my own story. It has no connection with any other film, novel, or story, and certainly no link to Ananth ji’s work. I just wish someone had asked me before spreading such baseless allegations.”
While Biplab has backed his claims with official registration documents, there has been no comment yet from Fabrice Bracq, the creator of Burqa City, regarding the alleged similarities.
