Shah argued that the show is a “blatant rip-off” of his film.
Netflix is facing legal action after its hit show Squid Game was accused of stealing the plot from Sohum Shah’s 2009 film Luck.
The film, starring Sanjay Dutt, Imran Khan and Shruti Haasan, was released worldwide in July 2009, with screenings in India, the US, the UK, and the UAE.
However, Shah has now come out and claimed there are similarities between his movie and Squid Game, created by South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk.
According to reports, Shah filed a lawsuit in a New York federal court.
He argued that Luck‘s plot is very similar to the Netflix series.
Shah also claimed that he originally developed the story in 2006, three years before his movie was released.
In the lawsuit, Shah alleged Squid Game borrowed the idea of a group of desperate, indebted people competing in life-threatening games to win large sums of money.
He pointed out that, just like in Luck, participants in Squid Game face deadly consequences if they fail.
Additionally, Shah noted that both stories include wealthy individuals betting on the lives of the players, who struggle to survive in extreme situations.
Shah said Netflix had full access to his film because of its “considerable advertising and marketing”.
Shah argued that the show is a “blatant rip-off” of his film.
After its global release, Squid Game increased Netflix’s market value by £685 million.
Meanwhile, Netflix denied the accusations, 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.”
The streaming platform emphasised that the thriller series is an original work that was developed in 2008.
Hwang Dong-hyuk spent over a decade refining the story before producing it.
Squid Game has a similar concept but draws inspiration from a Japanese movie.
The creators have stated they drew from the novel that the movie was based on.
The 2000 film Battle Royale is the closest inspiration for Squid Game.
Hwang Dong-hyuk previously mentioned the show was influenced by the Battle Royale comics.
The lawsuit comes as Netflix prepares for upcoming Squid Game seasons.
Season 2 will premiere on December 26, 2024, and the third and final season is expected in 2025.
The new season will feature fresh faces like Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon, Park Gyu-young and Jeon Seok-ho.
The 2023 spin-off show, Squid Game: The Challenge, has also faced controversy.
Though it didn’t involve actual deaths, reports surfaced about unsafe filming conditions.
Contestants described their experiences as dangerous and rigged, with some needing medical treatment.
Netflix faced a lawsuit threat after some contestants suffered hypothermia and nerve damage due to poor safety standards.
Watch the trailer for Squid Game Season 2
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