Filmmaker Suman Ghosh has accused the makers of the Prosenjit Chatterjee-starrer Abhhiman of copying his unmade project. In an open letter posted on social media on Friday morning, Ghosh revealed that his project's story revolved around a protagonist existing in two distinct phases of life. "First, as a celebrated superstar at the peak of his fame, and later, as an ageing, physically and emotionally deteriorating man grappling with memory-related challenges," he said, adding that he noticed an uncanny resemblance after watching the teaser and trailer of Abhhiman.
At the core of Ghosh's allegations is Prosenjit Chatterjee, who, according to the filmmaker, had been in discussions with him about the project for nearly two-and-a-half years. "I had envisioned him as the protagonist from the very inception of the project," he added. In Abhhiman, Prosenjit portrays Akashi, a musician dealing with trauma and memory loss. While Ghosh acknowledged that he has not seen the complete screenplay and that the story may be entirely different, he said his concerns stem from perceived similarities in the central character arc and emotional journey. He revealed that he had sent an email to Prosenjit on June 17, outlining the reasons behind his disappointment. Calling it a breach of professional trust and artistic integrity, Ghosh alleged that repeated attempts to contact the actor had gone unanswered.
Producers respond
The producers of Abhhiman responded to Ghosh's allegations, asserting that the film's script is original. "The core idea of the film was conceived by Jisshu U Sengupta, while the screenplay and dialogues were independently developed and written by Srijato Bandopadhyay and director Indraadip Daas Gupta. The project has evolved through a well-documented creative process, with all requisite registrations, records, and development materials in place through established industry and legal channels," the producers said in a social media statement. "While we respect the work and creative journeys of all filmmakers, we categorically affirm that the film is an original work created independently by its writers and makers. We stand firmly by the authenticity of our script."
Prosenjit Chatterjee's statement
Prosenjit Chatterjee stated in a message on social media that he has the utmost respect for Suman as a filmmaker. "In our industry, creative lines often cross because we are all drawing from universal human emotions and themes. However, Abhhiman is a fully independent, legally registered project," he added.
Ghosh said he has no intention of pursuing legal action. "But the matter raises broader questions about creative trust, professional responsibility and the ethics of sharing ideas within the industry," he concluded.
