A Complete List of Bollywood (Indian) Movies copied from Hollywood | Plain Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions". Read more about it on Wikipedia.

For those of you unfamiliar with 'Bollywood', it is the Indian Film Industry. So basically, it serves to entertain the 2nd largest population in the world. Now that's a big responsibility and you'd think that they'd try to be original. But you'd be wrong. There's a fine line between getting inspired by the work of another person and plagiarizing it, sadly Bollywood seems unashamed in crossing that line repetitively.

Overtime I'll try to compile a complete list of all the plagiarized Bollywood movies in a hope to create awareness among people regarding this sad practice. Bollywood film makers seem to exploit the fact that many Indian viewers do not grasp the foreign accent properly and hence are not regular viewers of Hollywood. This creates an opportunity for dishonest Indian movie makers to imitate Hollywood movies without being criticized for doing so (instead they are appreciated for their efforts and these imitated films make good money at the box office).

The Godfather is the greatest movie there is. No doubt about it. 'Marlon Brando and Al Pacino', 'nuff said. The book 'Godfather' by Mario Puzo is a genius in itself. These are great works of arts and should've been left alone.

A true scene-by-scene copy of Hollywood movie 'It happened one Night'. If you watch these two movies one after the other, you'll be amazed at how shamelessly the storyline and scenes have been imitated and the sad fact is that 'Dil Hai ki Manta nahi' was a huge hit in India.

Maybe 'Mahesh Bhatt' (the director) thought that he would get away with it because 'It happened one Night' is an old Hollywood classic (1934), so people wouldn't really notice. Well, he did get away with it, like in most of these cases.

Apparently imitating Hollywood just wasn't enough, so out comes the indian film 'Zinda' which plagiarizes the story of 'Oldboy', a Korean movie about a guy who is kept in captivity for15 yearsand then given5 daysto figure out why he was kidnapped. In the Indian counter-part, the man is kept in captivity for14 yearsand given4 daysto figure out why he was kidnapped. That's about all the change they bothered to bring in 'Zinda'. It seems like'Sanjay Gupta'is mocking the Korean movie and is certain that such deceit would go unpunished. They probably thought that why bother thinking more than we have to, when the Indians are ready to accept the movie without much care about it being a rip off. Really sad.

Wikipedia states that "At a November 2005 press conference, Show East stated expressed concern that the film was similar to their film, Oldboy, and were investigating the similarities, noting that at the time, they did not have the final version of Zinda available to compare it with. They stated that if they did find there was "strong similarity between the two [films]", they would be contacting their lawyers." The Hindu reviewer Sudhish Kamath and Planet Bollywood reviewer Narbir Gosal both note in their reviews of Zinda that they found the two films to be very similar in terms of plot, as well as in the depiction of specific scenes".

But alas, no action was taken. It's like these fraudulent Indian film makers enjoy some impunity that we don't know about.

Both of these movies have the same plot of a thief who steals a precious stone and hides it in a building before going to prison, when he comes out, it's a cop station. The Thief then poses as a cop to retrieve a diamond he stole years ago.

Again the same story for both of these movies, after a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend secret time with his children held in custody by his Ex.

A List Of Other Such Bollywood movies copied from Hollywood:

Satte Pe Satta 1982 | Seven Brides For Seven Brothers 1954

Ek Ruka Hua Faisla 1986 | 12 Angry Men 1957

Khoon Bhari Maang 1988 | Return to Eden 1983

Tezaab 1988 | Streets of fire 1984

Agneepath 1990 | Scarface 1983

Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin 1991 | It Happened One Night 1934

Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar 1992 | Breaking Away 1979

Chamatkar 1992 | Blackbeard's Ghost 1968

Ek Ladka Ek Ladki | 1992 Overboard 1987

Baazigar 1993 | A Kiss Before Dying 1991

Khal-Naaikaa 1993 | The Hand That Rocks The Cradle 1992

Yeh Dillagi 1994 | Sabrina 1954

Main Khiladi Tu Anari 1994 | The Hard Way 1991

Akele Hum Akele Tum 1995 | Kramer vs. Kramer 1979

Yaraana 1995 | Sleeping with the Enemy 1991

Criminal 1995 | The Fugitive 1993

Rangeela- | Win a Date with Tadf Hamilton

Daraar 1996 | Sleeping with the Enemy 1991

Agni Sakshi 1996 | Sleeping with the Enemy 1991

Papi Gudia 1996 | Child's Play 1988

Deewana Mastana 1997 | What About Bob? 1991

Judwaa 1997 | Twin Dragons 1992

Chor machaye shor(1997) | Blue Streak

Chachi 420 1998 | Mrs. Doubtfire 1993

Ghulam 1998 | On the Waterfront 1954

Pyar To Hona Hi Tha | 1998 French Kiss 1995

Dushman 1998 | Eye for an Eye 1996

Sangharsh 1999 | The Silence of the Lambs 1991

Mohabbatein 2000 | Dead Poets Society 1989

Josh 2000 | West Side Story 1961

Bichhoo 2000 | Leon: The Professional 1994

Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega 2000 | While You Were Sleeping 1995

Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke 2000 | A Walk in the Clouds 1995

Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye 2000 | The Wedding Singer 1998

Ajnabee 2001 | Consenting Adults 1992

Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya 2001 | Fatal Attraction 1987

Kyo Kii... Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta 2001 | Liar Liar 1997

Kasoor 2001 | Jagged Edge 1985

Awara Paagal Deewana 2002 | The Whole Nine Yards 2000

Humraaz 2002 | A Perfect Murder 1998

Kaante 2002 | Reservoir Dogs 1992

Speed 2007 | Cellular 2004

Salaam-e-Ishq | Love Actually

Ta Ra Rum Pum 2007 | Days of Thunder 1990

Life In A Metro 2007 | The Apartment 1960

Fool n Final 2007 | Snatch 2000

Heyy Babyy 2007 | Three Men and a Baby 1987

Partner 2007 | Hitch 2005

The Train 2007 | Derailed 2005

Manorama Six Feet Under 2007 | Chinatown 1974

Welcome 2007 | Mickey Blue Eyes 1999

Race 2008 | Goodbye Lover 1998

u me aur hum(2008) | The Notebook + A Moment To Remember (korean)

Ugly Aur Pagli 2008 | My Sassy Girl 2001

Singh Is Kinng 2008 | Miracles 1989

Shaurya 2008 | A Few Good Men 1992

God Tussi Great Ho 2008 | Bruce Almighty 2003

Dostana 2008 | I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry 2007

Dasvidaniya(2008) | Bucket list

Yuvvraaj 2008 | Rain Man 1988

Dil Bole Hadippa(2009) | She's the Man

Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena 2005 | Confidence 2003

Garam Masala 2005 | Boeing Boeing 1965

Kyun Ki 2005 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1975

Main Aisa Hi Hoon 2005 | I am Sam 2001

Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya? 2005 | Cactus Flower 1969

Naina 2005 | The Eye 2002

Zeher 2005 | Out of Time 2003

Jurm 2005 | Double Jeopardy 1999

Humko Deewana Kar Gaye 2006 | Notting Hill 1999

Zinda 2006 | Oldboy 2003

Bas Ek Pal 2006 | Carne Trémula 1997

Rang De Basanti | All My Sons (1948) & Jesus of Montreal.

Naksha 2006 | The Rundown 2003

Phir Hera Pheri 2006 | Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels 1998

Alag 2006 | Powder 1995

I See You 2006 | Just Like Heaven 2005

Tathastu 2006 | John Q 2002

Malamaal Weekly | 2006 Waking Ned 1998

Aap Ki Khatir 2006 | The Wedding Date 2003

Taxi No. 9211 2006 | Changing Lanes 2002

The Killer 2006 | Collateral 2004

Ek Ajnabee | Man On Fire (2004)

Krrish 2006 | Paycheck

Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin | 2002 Analyze This 1999

Chor Machaaye Shor 2002 | Blue Streak 1999

Baadshah(SRK starrer) | Nick Of Time, The Mask, Rush Hour, Mr. Nice Guy

Fareb | Unlawful Entry (1992)

Sauda | Indecent Proposal (1993) ,The Deal (2005)

Hum Hain Kamaal Ke | See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989).

Deewangee 2002 | Primal Fear 1996

Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai 2002 | My Best Friend's Wedding 1997

Raaz 2002 | What Lies Beneath 2000

Ek Chhoti Si Love Story 2002 | A Short Film About Love 1998

Footpath 2003 | State of Grace 1990

3 Deewarein | The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Inteha 2003 | Fear 1996

Dhoom(2003)| The Fast and the Furious (2001) &Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Jism 2003 | Body Heat 1981

Koi Mil Gaya 2003 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1982

Kucch To Hai 2003 | I Know What You Did Last Summer 1997

Qayamat: City Under Threat 2003 | The Rock 1996

Aetbaar 2004 | Fear 1996

Plan 2004 | Suicide Kings 1997

Saaya 2003 | Dragonfly 2002

Shukriya: Till Death Do Us Apart 2004 | Meet Joe Black 1998

Hum Tum 2004 | When Harry Met Sally 1989

Munnabhai MBBS(2003) | Patch Adams(1998)

Murder 2004 | Unfaithful 2002

Aitraaz 2004 | Disclosure 1994

Musafir 2004 | U-Turn 1997

Phir Milenge 2004 | Philadelphia 1993

Salaam Namaste | Nine Months

Paap 2004 | The Witness 1969

Black 2005 | The Miracle Worker 1962

Bunty Aur Babli 2005 | Bonnie & Clyde 1967

Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets 2005 | The Usual Suspects 1995

Sarkar 2005 | The Godfather 1972

Deewane Huye Pagal 2005 | There's Something About Mary 1998

Ek Ajnabee 2005 | Man on Fire 2004

The list is of plagiarism is long, I'll keep updating as I have no doubt Bollywood would keep copying from Hollywood (If you know any copied Bollywood movie that I have missed, mention in a comment and I'll add it after verifying) but the fact remains that they won't stop unless the people demand originality in the media and boycott plagiarized stuff. Imitation causes nothing but disgrace to the country.

A ray of hope remains in the form of a few original Bollywood people who actually sit down to make something novel and fresh.

A Request: Send this around to as many as you can so that Indian viewers realize what's happening and maybe, just maybe, demand originality.