Priyadarshan has finally addressed the storm over ‘Bhooth Bangla’ song lines allegedly borrowed from a Satyajit Ray classic. Fans are debating whether it’s homage or plagiarism.
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Oh, the drama before a film even hits theaters! Filmmaker Priyadarshan is at the center of a hot debate. His upcoming horror-comedy ‘Bhooth Bangla’ has stirred controversy over a song, and Priyadarshan has finally broken his silence.
The trouble started with the track ‘Ram Ji Bhala Karein’ from ‘Bhooth Bangla’. Critics pointed out that it uses the hook line from ‘Bhuter Raja Dilo Bor’, a song from the National Award-winning Bengali classic ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’, directed by the legendary Satyajit Ray. Social media quickly caught fire questioning if Priyadarshan was copying a masterpiece.
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At the trailer launch on Monday, Priyadarshan addressed the allegations. He explained, “Huge respect I have to him [Satyajit Ray], he is one of the masters from whom I learnt cinema. Second, the word you are saying is Bhoot. Now, if I ask you, in how many songs the word ‘Deewana’ used in Indian cinema? That means that only the first person, who used the word ‘deewana’ has the right to use it. It’s only a word.”
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He further clarified that the lyricist carefully wrote the lines with the film’s context in mind. “There’s a context to it because the film is ‘Bhooth Bangla’ and you should also understand there is a previous film called ‘Bhoot Bangla’ as well. Naturally, that title is repeated now. So these things get repeated, there is nothing. I respect Satyajit Ray like the God of Indian cinema,” Priyadarshan added.
‘Bhooth Bangla’ boasts a powerhouse cast, including Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, Asrani, and Mithila Palkar.
On the production side, the film is presented by Balaji Motion Pictures, a division of Balaji Telefilms Ltd, in association with Cape of Good Films.
Priyadarshan is directing, while Akshay Kumar, Shobha Kapoor, and Ektaa R Kapoor are producing.
Mark your calendars! ‘Bhooth Bangla’ is set to hit theaters on April 16, 2026.
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