Kerala BJP councillor Sreelekha accuses two Shane Nigam films of plagiarising her stories
Thiruvananthapuram, June 16
Kerala's first woman Director General of Police and now BJP councillor R. Sreelekha has alleged that the stories of Malayalam actor Shane Nigam's films 'Dridham' and 'Bhoothakaalam' were copied from her works.
After her retirement, she later joined the BJP and became a councillor in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections last year.
In a social media post, Sreelekha claimed that the recently released police-themed film 'Dridham' was made by copying her story.
She said the core storyline of the film was taken from her short story 'Karinkudi Police Station', which she had written years ago and was published in Mathrubhumi Weekly.
Sreelekha said she realised the similarity between her story and the film only after watching 'Dridham'.
She also shared the link to the audio version of the story that she had uploaded on her official YouTube channel for those who had not read it.
The former DGP also raised similar allegations against another Shane Nigam starrer, the critically acclaimed and award-winning film 'Bhoothakaalam'.
She alleged that the movie was based on an experience-based story titled 'Bhootha Bhavanam', which she had shared on her official YouTube channel three years ago.
According to Sreelekha, the similarity was evident even in the titles of the two works.
She shared links to both her stories through her YouTube channel while raising allegations against the filmmakers.
A notable connection between the two films, she pointed out, is that both feature Shane Nigam as the lead actor.
However, Sreelekha clarified that while she had made complaints against the filmmakers, she had a special affection for Shane Nigam.
She said she had liked the actor ever since watching the film 'Parava'.
The BJP leader added that she sees Shane as similar to a young police officer who had worked with her and whom she considered like a younger brother.
Referring specifically to Shane's role as a police officer in 'Dridham', Sreelekha said the character reminded her of a policeman named Mohammed, who used to gift her mango saplings, pure honey and ghee.
Sreelekha's allegations have opened a fresh debate in Malayalam cinema over claims of story ownership and originality.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting that she specifically targets Shane Nigam movies but says she has "affection" for him. That's quite contradictory. Either you believe your work was stolen or you don't. This feels like a publicity stunt more than anything else.
As a Malayali cinephile, I've watched both films. Bhoothakaalam is a unique psychological horror that won national awards - comparing it to a YouTube story seems like a stretch. But I respect Sreelekha's contributions to Kerala's police force. She should take this to court if she has solid evidence. 💪
Honestly, this is embarrassing for Kerala. A former DGP playing the victim card over movie plots? Meanwhile we have real issues like unemployment and infrastructure problems. She should focus on her councillor duties instead of chasing Shane Nigam for "mango saplings and honey." 😅
I've read her short story 'Karinkudi Police Station' - it's about a corrupt police station, not a heroic officer like in Dridham. The similarities are superficial at best. But this raises an important question about how many original ideas are floating unpublished while filmmakers profit. She should copyright her work properly next time.
This is typical Indian political drama - a BJP councillor making noise against a popular actor to stay relevant. If she really had a case, she'd have filed a formal complaint instead of posting on social media. Let the courts decide, not public opinion.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.