
Atlee REACTS to allegations of Plagiarism as he talks about his Allu Arjun-Deepika Padukone starrer: 'There's a perception that the films I make...'
Director Atlee recently received an honorary doctorate from Sathyabama University in Chennai. While accepting the honour, the filmmaker not only opened up about his much-anticipated project with
Allu Arjun
and
Deepika Padukone
but also addressed long-standing plagiarism allegations—offering rare insight into his creative process and vision for Indian cinema's future.
Atlee addressed the ongoing perception that scenes and characters in his films are borrowed or inspired by other works. Acknowledging the criticism, he noted that many believe his films resemble existing ones. However, he urged the audience to look deeper and offered a personal example from his own life to help them better understand his creative journey.
Atlee cited Vijay's character Michael Rayappan from his 2019 film Bigil—a gangster-turned-football coach—as an example, revealing that it was inspired by Jeppiaar, the founder and chancellor of Sathyabama University.
Reflecting on the moment his Mersal theme played during the ceremony, Atlee said he believes he earned the honorary doctorate through honesty and love, and pledged to continue making the country proud.
This statement from Atlee comes just two months after netizens drew attention to the striking resemblance between the poster of his upcoming film AA22 X A6, starring Allu Arjun, and the Hollywood sci-fi hit Dune. When the poster was unveiled in April, social media was quick to compare it to the Dune artwork featuring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, reigniting discussions around originality in Atlee's work.
Speaking about his upcoming untitled film with Allu Arjun and Deepika Padukone, Atlee revealed that it is being produced by Kalanidhi Maran of Sun Pictures. He described the project as one of the most expensive films ever made in India, with plans to incorporate cutting-edge technology. Currently in the budgeting stage, the release date will be finalised by the producer.
Atlee shared that the film is being produced by Kalanidhi Maran of Sun Pictures and is set to be one of the most expensive Indian films to date. With plans to use advanced technology, he revealed that the project is still in the budgeting stage. He added that the release date will be determined by the producer.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Ghich Pich has brought Chandigarh's nostalgia to the mindie canvas: Aryan Rana
At 17, life is anything but simple. It's a messy mix of ambition, rebellion, friendships, and the looming shadow of parental pressure. Ghich Pich, a stirring new coming-of-age drama, dives headfirst into that very chaos, and at its centre is Aryan Rana, who plays Anurag Bansal, a boy caught between being an ideal son and teenager who just wants to breathe easy. HT Image With raw honesty and youthful energy, Aryan steps into the knots of growing up, bringing to screen a story that feels both personal and universal. 'The title Ghich Pich really captures the essence of the film,' Aryan explains. 'It's a colloquial term we use when things are tangled or all messed up. That's exactly what the story reflects.' For Anurag, the entanglement is personal — balancing a studious and driven persona with the desire to have fun, all under the crushing weight of his father's expectations. That push and pull, Aryan says, defines his character's journey. But landing the role wasn't straightforward. Aryan went through nearly eight rounds of auditions across different cities, each time asked to approach the character in a new way. 'At one point, the team wasn't fully convinced,' he recalls. 'But Ankur Singla, our director, stood by me and kept pushing me to dig deeper,' he adds. Aryan's commitment went beyond rehearsals as he lost nearly 10kg to convincingly embody a 17-year-old. What Aryan carries most from the experience isn't the physical transformation, but a renewed belief in his craft. 'Only a slightly mad bunch of people choose acting as a profession,' he quips, 'and I like to believe I'm a proud flagbearer of that madness.' Ghich Pich also stands apart in its storytelling approach. Rooted in director Ankur Singla's memories of growing up in Chandigarh, the film strikes a fine balance between indie rawness and mainstream entertainment. 'Ankur's inspiration draws from Indian indie gems like Udaan and Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, and his narrative finds a delicate balance between mainstream appeal and intimate realism, a genre often dubbed as mindie cinema. It sparks conversations on ambition, toxic masculinity, and acceptance, but without being preachy,' says the 23-year-old actor. Aryan Rana (right) with co-stars Kabir Nanda and Shhivam Kakar(HT Photo) 'I am elated with the kind of response Ghich Pich has got. It has an IMDb rating of 8.7 and received some really encouraging reviews from critics,' says Aryan, who has shared the screen with co-stars Kabir Nanda and Shhivam Kakar along with late Nitesh Pandey, Geeta Agrawal Sharma, and Satyajit Sharma.


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
The Undertaker to join Bigg Boss 19: What will be the payment of the WWE legend, contract details, and duration?
(Image via WWE) Wrestling legend Mark Calaway, aka The Undertaker, is reportedly in talks to appear on the 19th season of the Indian reality show, Bigg Boss. Rumors suggest he will join as a wild card entry for a week-long stay, hosted by Salman Khan. The Undertaker is one of the legendary figures of WWE , who has been retired from professional wrestling since 2020, but he remains a significant part of the entertainment world of wrestling. He was last seen on the reality show WWE LFG (Legends & Future Greats), coaching and aspiring wrestlers. But leaving the wrestling behind for a while, rumors are swirling that the Deadman is in talks to appear in the Indian reality show Big Boss , in their season 19. Let's now take a look at the contract details, payment, and duration of his stay in Bigg Boss 19. Contract details of The Undertaker for Bigg Boss 19 As per reports, The Undertaker and his team are already in talks with the Indian reality TV series, Bigg Boss, which will premiere its 19th season on August 24. The show will be hosted by Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan, who has been the face of the show for quite a long time. However, rumors suggest that there are plans for him to make an appearance in the show later in the year, possibly around November. According to reports, the WWE legend will join as a wild card entry and stay in the house for about 7-10 days. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Susan Boyle Is Now so Thin and Looks Beautiful! Undo Although there has been no official confirmation yet about his appearances, sources revealed that discussions are still ongoing between the show's makers and the wrestling icon's team. Duration of stay of The Undertaker in Bigg Boss 19 As of the writing of this report, there is no official confirmation yet on what the duration of his stay in Bigg Boss 19 would be. But, sources close to the production revealed that The Undertaker will join the show as a wild card entry contestant, and is supposed to stay for a week or 10 days. The official confirmation about his stay is yet to be revealed by the showmakers. Estimated payment of The Undertaker for Bigg Boss 19 The amount of money that The Undertaker is going to charge for appearing on Bigg Boss has not been revealed yet. However, in the case of The Great Khali , the former WWE legend was paid a hefty amount of Rs 50 lakhs per week, making him one of the highest-paid celebs in the show's history. Given the fact that The Undertaker will stay in the house for a week or more, he is surely going to be one of the highest-paid celebrities of all time to feature on Bigg Boss. Also Read : WWE legend The Undertaker rumored to join Indian reality show Bigg Boss 19; Mike Tyson also in talks It is to be noted that Bigg Boss 19 will begin with 15 contestants, with 3 wild card entries expected later, taking the total to 18 participants. This season is expected to be a lot more entertaining as it will stir some high-voltage drama and tension once the additional contestants arrive. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Kaun Banega Crorepati 17: Can you guess the answer for this Rs 25,00,000 question about cricketer Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi?
The latest episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 17 started with host Amitabh Bachchan entering the stage with rollover contestant Saket Nandkumar Sonar from Jalgaon, Maharashtra. He praises the contestant for speaking six languages and also asks him to welcome the guest in German. The host resumes the game with him and presents the question forRs 3,00,000. In which category did Indian-American filmmaker Smriti Mundhra receive an Oscar nomination in 2025? As Saket is unaware of the answer, he takes the help of his lifeline 'Audience Poll'. He selects Option A) Documentary Short film and wins the amount. He again gets stuck at the question for Rs 5,00,00 and uses his two lifelines 'Sanket Suchak' and '50-50'. Which school counts among its alumni the CEOs of Microsoft and Adobe? After using both the lifelines, Saket selects Option B) Hyderabad Public School and it is the correct answer. Next, Big B reads out the question for 'Super Sandook' and Saket manages to answer nine questions correctly. He earns Rs 90,000 and revives his lifeline 'Sanket Suchak'. During his interaction with Amitabh Bachchan, Saket was asked how he plans to use the prize money. He reveals that his love for biryani began while studying in Delhi. With the winnings, he first plans to travel across India to taste different varieties of biryani before opening his own restaurant as a gift to his mother. He adds that through this venture, he hopes to connect people with Indian culture through food. Saket swiftly answers the next two questions and braces himself to answer the question for Rs 25,00,000. On his Test debut in 1932, at which ground did Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi score a century for England? The contestant uses his lifeline 'Sanket Suchak' but he doesn't get any help. Saket decides to quit the show as he is not confident of the answer. Before leaving, he makes a guess and selects option A) The Oval but it is the incorrect answer. The correct answer is Option C) Sydney Cricket Ground. Saket takes home Rs 12,50,000. KBC invites OP-Sindoor's women officers for Independence day episode| Fans get excited