An Indian filmmaker has accused the makers of the action thriller Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, of plagiarism, sparking a fresh controversy around the film despite its box office success.
According to Indian media reports, Karnataka-based filmmaker Santosh Kumar RS has claimed that the film is based on his script titled “D Sahib,” written in 2023. He alleged that he realized the similarities only after watching the film.
Santosh Kumar said his story revolves around a young man whose family is attacked by criminals, leading him to kill 10 people in revenge before being arrested. He is later recruited as a spy after authorities are impressed by his actions.
He claimed that the core storyline has been used in “Dhurandhar: The Revenge,” alleging that director Aditya Dhar incorporated key elements of his script while adding political themes.
The filmmaker further stated that he had pitched his script to several major production houses, including Sony Pictures, Zee Studios, T-Series and Dharma Productions.
However, the team of Aditya Dhar has strongly denied the allegations. According to Indian media, the claims that the filmmakers copied the script or violated intellectual property rights have been termed baseless, incorrect and unacceptable.
The film’s team maintained that the story of “Dhurandhar” is an original concept written by Aditya Dhar and registered in September 2023. Meanwhile, Santosh Kumar also asserted that he had registered his script with the Screenwriters Association in November 2023, adding another layer to the dispute that may now move towards legal proceedings.