Thiruvananthapuram: A controversy has erupted in the Malayalam film industry after former Director General of Police (DGP) and BJP leader R Sreelekha, a 1987 batch ex-IPS officer from Kerala cadre, accused the makers of two Malayalam films of allegedly using stories authored and narrated by her without permission or acknowledgment.
Sreelekha, who holds the distinction of being Kerala’s first woman IPS officer, claimed that the recently released Malayalam film ‘Dhridam’ and the 2022 psychological horror drama ‘Bhoothakaalam’ were based on stories she had earlier published and shared publicly through various platforms.
The allegations have sparked debate over intellectual property rights and originality in cinema, though the director of Dhridam has strongly denied the claims.
Allegation Against ‘Dhridam’
In a social media post, Sreelekha said she happened to watch Dhridam because of its police-centric storyline. While watching the film, she allegedly noticed striking similarities between the film’s core plot and a story she had written years ago.
According to her, the foundational story of Dhridam closely resembles ‘Karinkudi Police Station’, a story she had authored and later published in a Malayalam magazine. She said the same story was also shared through her YouTube channel.
Sreelekha alleged that while the cinematic presentation may differ, the central narrative appeared to have been lifted from her original work without proper credit or consent.
‘Bhoothakaalam’ Also Faces Similar Allegations
The former IPS officer further alleged that the acclaimed 2022 Malayalam film ‘Bhoothakaalam’ was similarly inspired by a real-life incident she had narrated publicly.
She claimed that in 2021 she uploaded a video on her YouTube channel titled ‘Bhootha Bhavanam’, in which she recounted a real incident. According to Sreelekha, the central concept and storyline of Bhoothakaalam bore significant resemblance to the incident she had described.
By drawing attention to both films, she suggested a pattern where stories originally narrated by her may have been adapted into films without attribution.
Shane Nigam Connection Highlighted
Interestingly, Sreelekha also pointed out a common link between the two films.
She noted that actor Shane Nigam, whom she described as one of her favourite actors, played lead roles in both Dhridam and Bhoothakaalam.
“There is another connection in both the films. Actor Shane Nigam, whom I like very much, is playing lead roles in both the films,” Sreelekha reportedly remarked while discussing the controversy.
Director Martin Joseph Rejects Plagiarism Claims
Responding to the allegations, Martin Joseph, director of Dhridam, categorically denied any plagiarism.
The filmmaker asserted that the movie was inspired by a real incident that occurred in Wayanad, Kerala, and not by any story written or narrated by Sreelekha.
According to Joseph, apart from certain background elements, there are no substantial similarities between the two narratives.
He further stated that he became aware of Sreelekha’s story only after the allegations surfaced and maintained that the film’s storyline was independently developed.
Debate Over Intellectual Property and Creative Inspiration
The controversy has once again brought the issue of intellectual property rights, creative inspiration and adaptation into focus within the entertainment industry.
While Sreelekha maintains that the core stories of both films originated from her published works and public narrations, the filmmakers have either denied or are yet to officially respond to the allegations in detail.
Whether the matter progresses into a legal dispute remains to be seen. For now, the plagiarism allegations have generated significant discussion among film enthusiasts, legal observers and members of the creative community.
About R Sreelekha
R Sreelekha is widely known as Kerala’s first woman IPS officer. During her distinguished policing career, she held several important assignments and eventually retired at the rank of Director General of Police (DGP). Following her retirement, she entered public life and is currently associated with the BJP, serving as a councillor in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
