Exploring the 2009 Film Luck: Bollywood Director Claims Netflix’s Squid Game is Plagiarized

Indian filmmaker Soham Shah has filed a lawsuit against the streaming giant Netflix, claiming that the concept of its renowned survival thriller series, Squid Game, closely resembles his movie Luck. In response, Netflix has described the allegations as unfounded and committed to defending against them.

Luck is an action thriller that debuted in 2009, featuring prominent actors such as Sanjay Dutt, Imran Khan, and Shruti Haasan. The film’s narrative revolves around individuals who are coerced into participating in games of chance, with the harrowing realization that only one participant can emerge alive.

In this dark tale, a group of desperate individuals burdened by debt are manipulated into competing in dangerous games, each promising a significant cash reward. In this life-and-death contest, failure in a game results in fatal consequences, as each player inches closer to the ultimate prize in their fight for survival.

Released globally in July 2009, Luck hit theaters in regions including India, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the UAE.

Squid Game features 456 contestants fighting for huge cash prizes

Like Soham Shah’s Luck, Squid Game is also a survival thriller, with its gripping narrative centering on a secret competition where participants engage in deadly twists on traditional Korean children’s games, with only one victor allowed. The lone survivor is awarded a massive cash prize.

Created, written, and directed by Hwang Dong Hyuk, Squid Game features 456 players who are drawn into a covert competition, chasing a record-breaking prize of 45.6 billion won.

As reported by TMZ, the Indian director Soham Shah emphasized in his lawsuit,

“The main plot, characters, themes, mood, setting, and sequence of events of Squid Game are strikingly similar to that of Luck, defying any likelihood that such similarities could be coincidence,” Shah stated in the formal complaint.

Reacting to Shah’s claims, Netflix responded with a statement saying,

“This claim has no merit. Squid Game was created by and written by Hwang Dong Hyuk and we intend to defend this matter vigorously.”

Shah’s statement also indicated that he had written the screenplay as early as 2006, with a release set for July 2009. In various interviews, Hwang has mentioned conceptualizing the Netflix series in 2008.

According to TMZ, Soham Shah alleges that the market valuation of Netflix surged by over $900 million following the immense success of Squid Game, prompting his desire to receive compensation while also seeking legal recourse for copyright infringement regarding his work.

The highly anticipated Season 2 of Squid Game is scheduled to premiere in December this year, paving the way for a third season set to debut in 2025, marking the conclusion of the beloved Korean series. New cast members such as Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon, Park Gyu-young, and Jeon Seok-ho are expected to join in the upcoming season.

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