British author Jeffrey Archer recently died suddenly at his home at the age of 86. While the literary world mourns the loss of the mastermind who just completed his final novel Adam and Evehis passing brings back memories of his turbulent relationship with the Hindi film industry. Despite enjoying immense popularity in India, Jeffrey harboured a deep grievance against Bollywood filmmakers for blatantly plagiarising his bestselling stories.
Jeffrey Archer on how Bollywood stole his books
In a fiery 2015 interview, the author did not hold back when discussing unauthorised film adaptations. “Just look at your Bollywood! These bunch of thieves have stolen several of my books without so much as a ‘by your leave’,” Jeffrey claimed. He was particularly frustrated while trying to find a legitimate Indian production partner. Expressing his exasperation, he noted he wanted a genuine collaborator. “And that does not mean some second-rate Bollywood idiot who goes around saying he’s a Bollywood star producer and then he is not,” Jeffrey laughed, adding that such encounters had defined his Indian experience.
Plagiarised plots and uncredited adaptations
Jeffrey specifically called out two major motion pictures for lifting his narratives. He alleged that the 2011 crime comedy Ladies vs Ricky Bahlstarring Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma, was a direct copy of his 1976 debut Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less. While the novel followed three conned individuals seeking revenge, the film switched their genders to women scammed by a charming fraudster.
Furthermore, he insisted that director Rakesh Roshan’s 1987 film Khudgarz was heavily copied from his 1979 blockbuster Kane and Abel. The hit Bollywood movie mirrored the famous book’s core narrative about two feuding brothers who eventually reconcile.
While Jeffrey later struck official deals in 2025 to adapt six of his novels, his legacy in India remains forever intertwined with his blunt takedown of the industry that stole his beloved plots.
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