Kolkata: Tollywood is embroiled in a heated debate following an open letter posted by Miami-based director Suman Ghosh on Friday. Ghosh has leveled plagiarism charges against Prosenjit Chatterjee's characterization in Indraadip Dasgupta's 'Abhhiman', not against the film's plot or its makers. In response, Chatterjee stated that there was "absolutely no intent to compromise anyone's creative trust."
Ghosh's Allegations
On Friday, Ghosh claimed to have spent two and a half years developing "Star," a project about an aging superstar with a neurological illness, culminating in a December 2025 agreement for Chatterjee's production house to fund it. He detailed his concerns in an email to Chatterjee on June 17, highlighting six overlapping elements: the two distinct looks, the superstar's disappearance to a dilapidated house, the neurological illness and wheelchair use, and the smashing of a photo of his younger days. Additionally, the casting of Kanchan Mullick as the trusted manager matched Ghosh's original plan.
While all six elements are indeed present in 'Abhhiman', it is not possible for TOI to independently verify his claims that they were also part of Chatterjee's character arc in "Star," as the latter's script is not publicly available.
Chatterjee's Response
Chatterjee issued a statement saying: "I have 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, 'Abhiman' is a fully independent, legally registered project crafted by our director Indraadip Dasgupta and writer Srijato. As an actor, my job is to breathe life into the script handed to me. There was absolutely no intent to compromise anyone's creative trust, and I wish Suman nothing but the best."
Denials from Filmmakers
Both Dasgupta and the film's producers – Jisshu U Sengupta and Saurav Das – have denied the charges. "The story was penned by Jisshu Sengupta with screenplay and dialogues by Srijato. He was not involved with the story, script and didn't give inputs about the look. Besides, it is a proven fact that parallel thinking is possible for multiple individuals," Dasgupta said.
Ghosh's Counterargument
Ghosh told TOI that he had spoken to Chatterjee over the phone on Thursday, where the argument continued. "My accusations solely concern his characterization. His film features an aging filmstar while this involves an aging rockstar. The explanations regarding originality of story are immaterial since I have never said that the stories are similar. I would have grudgingly accepted it had I been informed of the similar character arc. I got a shock when I discovered the similarities while watching the trailer. This is unethical."
Industry Reactions
Meanwhile, Tollywood is split over the motivation behind the confrontation, debating whether the post genuinely exposes industry exploitation or serves as calculated publicity to create buzz. Directors like Supriyo Sen and Manas Mukul Pal, who have experienced or fear betrayal, have also spoken out. "The emotional betrayal in my case resulted in clinical depression," Sen said.
