We all look for inspiration around us. Film-makers are no different. They look and they search and they steal- ahem, we mean get inspired by. In fact, Bollywood has been “inspired” by Hollywood for quite some time now, if you know what we mean. Well, Pakistani filmmakers are no different. They too get “inspired”, only they look much closer for inspiration, like right next door.
Here are some Bollywood inspired posters we found. Now some of them are quite innocent but others, not so much.
1. Lahore Se Aagey & Chennai Express
Well…they look a bit alike. I mean the hero on the left and heroin on the right and the people in the back arranged in a triangle…ok, perhaps we are being a bit nit-picky but it does look a little similar. Well, on to the next!
2. Dobara Phir Se & Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
We see a car. We see young people. And we see Dobara in both those titles! Ok fine, it is not that similar but we do see some similarities, enough to wiggle our eyebrows a little.
3. 8969 & Rocky Handsome
Now this one is a lot more obvious.
A guy, barebacked and holding a knife…or knives…even the lighting effect is the same. The Pakistani filmmakers were clearly inspired by John Abraham’s muscular back and decided Shaan should pose the same way. Well, we totally approve of the shot, but we do wonder why the official Pakistani poster had to be an almost ditto copy of the Indian poster.
4. Balu Mahi & Bajirao Mastani
The same pose, an almost same setting and almost same lighting? The Pakistani poster makers are either lazy or just uncreative. Pakistan, we expect better of you. Stop ripping off India! We can do much better.
5. Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay & Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Need I go on? Both the couples are posing in a similar fashion and except for the colour scheme, everything looks very very similar. But wait… there’s a plot twist. Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay was released way before Ae Dil hai Mushkil so did the tables turn around for this one? Hmmm…
Well, this was our observation on what we call inspiration vs plagiarism. We believe Pakistani filmmakers, or any filmmakers for that matter, can come up with their own ideas instead of copying Bollywood. Hope you do better next time, Lollywood.
Contributed by Sara Tariq
