Priyadarshan Responds To Plagiarism Allegations Ahead Of Bhooth Bangla Release

Filmmaker Priyadarshan is gearing up for the release of his upcoming horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla, starring Akshay Kumar. At the trailer launch event on Monday, Priyadarshan addressed allegations that the song Ram Ji Bhala Karein from his film borrowed from the hook line of Bhuter Raja Dilo Bor, a track from the National Award-winning Bengali classic Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne directed by Satyajit Ray.

 

Reacting to the claims, Priyadarshan said, "Huge respect I have to him (Satyajit Ray), he is one of the masters from whom I learnt cinema. Second, the word you are saying is Bhoot. Now, if I ask you, in how many songs the word ‘Deewana’ used in Indian cinema? That means that only the first person, who used the word ‘deewana’ has the right to use it. It's only a word. We can't use, if somebody uses two lines, everybody can use, but the tune has nothing to do with the song."

 

The director further clarified, "The lyricist has written those lines, and that is why we were so confident there is nothing wrong in it, and there’s a context to it because the film is ‘Bhooth Bangla’, and you should also understand there is a previous film called ‘Bhoot Bangla’ as well. Naturally, that title is repeated now. So these things get repeated; there is nothing. I respect Satyajit Ray like the god of Indian cinema." His statement underscores both his admiration for Ray and the contextual reasoning behind the song’s lyrics, emphasizing originality in its composition.

 

Bhooth Bangla is directed by Priyadarshan and features an ensemble cast including Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, Asrani, Mithila Palkar, and Rajesh Sharma.

 

The film’s release has been eagerly awaited, promising a blend of humor, horror, and nostalgia, while the trailer and songs set the tone for a spooky yet comedic cinematic experience. Priyadarshan’s clarification aims to put fans and critics at ease ahead of its theatrical debut.