Bollywood Director Siddarth Anand Responds to New Movie’s “Top Gun Rip-Off” Comparison

Bollywood director Siddarth Anand has responded to online criticism that compares his new action movie, Fighter, to that of the classic Tom Cruise film, Top Gun. While some call Fighter a Top Gun rip-off based on the trailer alone, Anand says that’s only because “they have no reference point.” His new film follows a pilot who fulfills his dream of becoming a member of the Indian Air Force, and the challenges he faces in his new role.

In an interview on YouTube for zoom, Anand was asked about the comparisons some have made between Top Gun and Fighter, and while he did say “it’s inevitable,” he lamented that Bollywood filmmakers don’t get the credit they deserve. He claims those online that are drawing comparisons between the two films are doing so because they think “we are not so creative.” Check out Anand’s comments below:

“I think it’s inevitable. So, as a filmmaker, you have to be prepared for… if you make a film on planes, they will call it Top Gun because they have no reference point, so they believe that… we are not so creative and we will do things that will be a ripoff.”

The Bollywood film industry produces close to 2,000 films per year, while here in the West, Hollywood only churns out roughly 500. Revenue is expected to reach $3.7 billion dollars this year, with moviegoers in the East purchasing 2.7 billion theater tickets, the most on the planet. Anand believes that it’s time to start treating Bollywood films with respect, and that even American directors aren’t above copying what they see in Hindi films:

“I think… we need to start looking at our films with a little bit more respect and not constantly believe that things are being ripped off. People do get inspired, even in the West, by content that is created in the East. I have many instances where… I did some sequences and those sequences were similar to a film that came out later in a very very big franchise in the West. I’m not saying they copied us, and there’s no way they would copy us, so let’s be real. There are only that many things you can do in action, and there will be overlaps. You just gotta do it with an X factor that makes it different, and we need to just start being, as an audience and as a people on social media, a little more proud of your own country and your country’s work and stop thinking that everything is inspired or copied from the West.”

The phenomenon of ‘twin films’ is prevalent these days in Hollywood, which involves two movies with similar plot points released at the same time. While some have called these movies rip-off’s of one another, it stems from production companies investing in similar screenplays at the same time, with both rushing to get their film to the masses first. Siddarth Anand believes that once people see Fighter, the comparisons to Top Gun will cease:

Watch Siddarth Anand’s full interview with zoom below, where he also discusses some of his other films, including War, and Pathaan.

Is Fighter Based on a True Story?

Released on January 25, 2024, Fighter has already earned $13 million in U.S. dollars at the worldwide box office. It stars Hindi sensations Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor, who have been staples in Bollywood cinema for years. Top Gun comparisons aside, those that have seen the film are wondering if it could be based on true events.

While Anand himself has not confirmed this, the film does reference the 2019 Pulwama attack, the 2019 Balakot airstrike, as well as the conflicts at the India-Pakistan border that same year, leaving many to wonder if this is just art imitating life, or the other way around. Viewers in the West can judge for themselves when Fighter makes its way to streaming, most likely via Netflix, which has a history of acquiring Bollywood films to showcase on their platform.

Check out the trailer for Fighter below, and decide if the comparisons to Top Gun are justified.