Bangladeshi film superstar Shakib Khan is currently busy shooting for his latest film, ‘Soldier’. However, even before the film’s release, allegations of plagiarism have surfaced. These claims began circulating on social media after a report by West Bengal’s popular Anandabazar Online, which suggested that Shakib’s ‘Soldier’ bears similarities to Shah Rukh Khan’s film ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’. According to the report, both films feature a soldier in the lead role, and Shakib Khan’s portrayal in ‘Soldier’ is said to be strikingly similar to Shah Rukh Khan’s character.
In response to these allegations, the director of ‘Soldier’, Sakib Fahad, has firmly denied the accusations, stating that the film is based on an entirely original story. He emphasised, “The claims that our film is a copy are false. We are working on an original storyline, a completely Bangladeshi one. Once the audience sees the film, they will understand that there is no similarity to any other movie.”
In ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’, Shah Rukh Khan plays the role of a soldier, and the film also stars Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. Anushka Sharma’s character is a documentary filmmaker, and in ‘Soldier’, Shakib Khan plays a similar military officer role. The film also features two female leads, Tanjin Tisha and Jannatul Aishi, who are seen together with Shakib Khan. One of the promotional stills even shows Tanjin Tisha holding a camera, a possible nod to Anushka Sharma’s character, which has led some to draw comparisons between the two films.
Despite the similarities in character roles, Sakib Fahad insists that ‘Soldier’ is a completely different story with no connection to ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’. “This is a story from Bangladesh, made with our own unique perspective,” he added.
Regarding the release of the film, Shakib Khan had earlier mentioned that ‘Soldier’ would be released in December of this year. However, after the shoot began, there has been no official word on the release date. Sakib Fahad, the director, stated that they are focused on completing the film first before announcing the release. “We are not looking to rush the release. We want to ensure the film meets the expectations of the audience, and when it’s ready, we will announce the release date,” he explained.
Currently, the shooting for ‘Soldier’ is still ongoing, and the team is prioritising the quality of the film. According to Sakib Fahad, “The quality of the film is our top priority. We are focused on completing the work first and then making it available for the audience when it is ready.”
With ‘Soldier’ creating waves even before its official release, all eyes are now on whether Shakib Khan’s new film will live up to the expectations of his fans and critics alike.
