Copy Paste
Plagiarism exists all around us, regardless of how much it is frowned upon. And don't think this is a problem infesting the education sector because it exists in every field. It is in the entertainment industry however where plagiarism really rears its ugly head and shames all those who have taken part.
The art of "borrowing concepts" in the entertainment industry is nothing new. However, in the current era of interconnectivity, copying other's works has become increasingly difficult to pull off. Sadly though, it still happens, and when the culprits are busted, it is an extremely embarrassing episode for all parties involved.
The latest scandal regarding this "borrowing concepts" is Murad Parvez's 2015 film "Brihonnola". The allegation, put forth by Abhijit Siraj, son of famous writer Syed Mustafa Siraj, is that Parvez's movie is based on a story his father had written previously and has not been acknowledged. The story in question is titled "Gaachta Bolechhilo".
Abhijit has also pointed out that Murad is already acquainted with his family, having directed "Chandragrahon" based on Mustafa's story "Ranir Ghater Brittanto".
Siraj's "Gaachta Bolechhilo", which was later translated in English as "Die, said the Tree", is the story of a mythical tree located in a village. The tree is believed to be gifted with strange powers, and becomes the pivotal metaphor in the story that explores the psyche of villagers plagued by superstition. "Brihonnola" is a tale of the goodness inherent in human nature prevailing over religious prejudice and racial dogmatism. The film, starring Ferdous Ahmed, Sohana Saba, Azad Abul Kalam and Jhuna Choudhury, is set in a village where everything goes well for ages till an ancient banyan tree becomes the focal point of dispute between the two sections of the village community.
The accusations doesn't simply stop at the story either, as the song in the film, "Priyo Tor Kisher Oviman", has also come under scrutiny. Anyone who has heard the song "Piya Tora Kaisa Abhimaan" from the 2004 Hindi film "Rain Coat" will know that this is a complete rip-off. The film starred Ajay Devgan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, so it's hardly like it was anyone didn't watch it. Even the titles are almost the same. The original song was written by Rituparno Ghosh and sung by Shubha Mudgal.
These accusations have caused quite a stir on the other side of the border as both Abhijit Siraj and the team behind the original song are looking to take action against director Murad Parvez.
Issues like these don't help anyone, but rather, sets us back. It's not like we are running low of creativity either. It is high time that we stop "borrowing concepts" from elsewhere and start delving into our own rich history and culture so that we can make our own individual identity in the film circle.
By Intisab Shahriyar
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