The Latest Levi Advert Featuring Deepika Padukone Ends up in Plagiarism Controversy
Deepika Padukone’s latest Levi advert that has been captivating audiences has got itself into a plagiarism controversy.
Deepika Padukone’s latest Levi advert that has been captivating audiences has got itself into a plagiarism controversy.
The ad features Deepika and her group of free-spirited girlfriends entering a studio and dancing to the tune from the 80s film ‘Disco Dancer.’
Film-maker Sooni Taraporevala of ‘Salam Bombay’ fame took to Instagram to raise a complaint and explained that every detail of the set design of the Levi ad has been lifted from her film “Yeh Ballet.”
She said that when the ad was brought to her attention she was shocked because the set’s design was the same as her film's 'Yeh Ballet’ dance studio set.
In the Instagram post she questioned the team behind the ad asking, “Would Levi’s and the director ever think of doing that in the west without permission /acknowledgement and passing it off as their own creative work?” She labelled the act as “intellectual theft.”
She also emphasized in the Insta post that copycat culture in India needs to be called and cancelled out.
Sooni shared a screenshot of a comment where Rupin Suchak; the designer of the Levi set, acknowledging to another commenter that there were similarities and it was intentionally replicated as the team was inspired by the ‘Yeh ballet’ dance studio. He was ordered to replicate the same by his director Nadiaeye.
‘Yeh Ballet’ was released on Netflix last year. It is the story of two underprivileged teenagers who are discovered by a ballet master. They desire to pursue their dream of dancing albeit they are faced with bigotry.
Deepika shared the Levi ad campaign on her Insta handle last week. It received more than 5 million views on Youtube. It was even appreciated by actors like Hrithik Roshan, Ayushman Khurrana and Ranveer Singh.
She has been chosen as Levi’s brand ambassador and would be launching a new range of women’s outfits as the brand intends to focus on the women category.
The campaign titled ‘When you take a step, we all move’ is about celebrating the spirit of women and their efforts of inspiring each other through authentic self expression.
