Anurag Kashyap Questions Yashica Dutt's Motive, Defends Made In Heaven 2 Makers Amid Plagiarism Row

The popular web series Made In Heaven’s second season fell into controversy recently as author Yashica Dutt accused the makers of plagiarising the plot for one of the episodes from her book Coming Out As Dalit, which is based on her life. In the latest, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has openly defended the makers of the show and slammed the author, calling her an “opportunist” and making an issue out of it.

In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Anurag Kashyap said that he was unnerved when people close to him got attacked. The author’s claims were regarding an episode on the show where they show a Dalit woman’s (played by Radhika Apte) wedding and aim to focus on the perception of Dalits in society. She stated that the makers used her story without giving her credit. Defending the makers of Made In Heaven 2, Anurag said, “Is this really that big of an issue? It’s a very debatable issue. Anybody can debate. If it’s really that big an issue, then why are you attacking that other person, who before you said that I use this word? Then you’re looking for validation, then you’re not really concerned about the issue. Because then you can’t be two-sided. You’re also attacking this guy, and you’re attacking the guy who before you, said something in a blog. So you’re just looking for validation. For me, it looks like an opportunist. Nothing more than that.”

Reportedly, Anurag was referring to Sumit Baudh, the author, cited by the makers of Made In Heaven 2 as the inspiration behind the episode.

The Made in Heaven team, on the other hand, issued an official statement denying Yashica’s claims. They wrote, “We categorically deny any claim that Ms Dutt’s life or work was appropriated by us.” They also discussed how Radhika Apte’s role differs from Yashica’s life or her book. The statement also addressed the use of the phrase ‘Coming Out,’ stating that it originated in the 1950s and was thus unrelated to Yashica’s work.

After Anurag Kashyap’s remark and the statement issued by the Made In Heaven team, the author hit back, claiming that one of the makers, Alankrita Shrivastava, had met her in 2022 and had a lengthy conversation noting details about her life. Yashica stated, “In response to my gentle demand for acknowledgement on an episode that blatantly used my likeness, the makers of MIH put out a hostile statement calling it ‘misleading’. Was it also misleading when Alankrita Shrivastava, who is a writer and director of the show and co-signed that condescending statement, requested a meeting with me in New York on July 15, 2022, that lasted five hours? Where she asked me everything about my life but refused to reveal anything about her intentions.”

Made In Heaven 2 was released on August 10 and was created by Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Alankrita Shrivastava and Neeraj Ghaywan. It stars Arjun Mathur, Sobhita Dhulipala, Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin and others in pivotal roles.