Reddit is convinced this Ranveer Singh scene from Bajirao Mastani was ‘blatantly copied’ in Marvel’s Shang-Chi. Watch

Bollywood movies have often been criticised for copying elements and sequences from Hollywood films. Time and again, several films have been called out for copying exact scenes from western films. But the reverse rarely happens. Which is why, even when someone makes such an allegation, it gets cinephiles talking. Recently, Reddit users engaged in a debate after a film fan shared a scene from Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which appeared to be a copy of a battle scene from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani. Also read: Jayeshbhai Jordaar trailer: Gujju Ranveer Singh will even castrate himself to save his unborn daughter. Watch

On the subreddit Bolly Blinds N Gossip, where users routinely share gossip and trivia about the film industry, a user recently shared a frame-by-frame comparison of two similar battle scenes. One was from the Ranveer Singh-starrer Bajirao Mastani, which released in 2015, and the other was from the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).

In both the scenes, a warrior is scene on a horse in a long shot. It then cuts to a close-up of the warrior, who gallops towards the enemy. In both the scenes, the warrior waves his arms in circular fashion, using the weapon in their hand to block the barrage of arrows coming at them. In Padmaavat, it is Ranveer Singh’s Bajirao I, who uses two swords for the sequence, while in Shang-Chi, it is Tony Leung with the ten rings. The user shared the video with the caption, “Recently found this …. this scene from Shang Chi was exact replica of Bajirao Mastani ??? Thoughts.”

Many users said the scene in Shang-Chi was a clear copy. One commented, “When Flying Jatt copied X Men: First Class,it was butchered by everyone. Now no one bats an eye when this happens.” Others argued that this time since it was Hollywood copying Bollywood, people will disregard it. “This is a blatant copy but yet no one would have issues since it’s HW taking from BW,” read one comment. One user joked, “They took revenge for all the scenes we copied.”

However, some fans argued that the scene in Bajirao Mastani is not as original as it seems as similar scenes have been seen in Chinese films over the years. One user argued, “Cause it has been seen a lot of times in Chinese movies waaaay before Bajirao Mastani.” Another comment elaborated, “It is a standard Wuxia genre thematic shot. Hero being a very good example. Both bollywood and hollywood used it to show power of their superheroes.”

Bajirao Mastani, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, also starred Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra. The film was a huge critical and commercial success, making ₹356.2 crore at the box office. It was the fourth-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2015.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings starred Simu Liu, Awkafina, and Michelle Yeoh, and is the first Marvel film with an Asian lead. The film, part of MCU’s Phase 4, made $432.2 million at the box office.