Following the release of writer-director-actor Pari Elavazhagan's Anbe Diana, there has been some speculation that the film is plagiarised from Karan Karkki's novel Sattaikkaari. Similar to Sattaikkaari, the film is set in North Chennai, features a female protagonist who is an Anglo-Indian, and has elements concerning sports, love and relocation to Australia.
These plot similarities contributed to posts on social media saying that the film plagiarised the novel. Now, writer Karan Karkki has watched the film and subsequently cleared the air. He released a statement through a video on social media to confirm that Anbe Diana is unlike his novel and is not a plagiarised film.
Karan revealed that Sattaikkaari focuses on the history of Anglo-Indians, the politics of the working class, culture, and the lives of three youngsters that centre around love and football. On the other hand, the film is a lighthearted rom-com that tells a story set in the present day in a humorous tone.
After speaking to director-actor Pari Elavazhagan, Karan has put the accusations of plagiarism to rest. The novelist said that he asked the actor-filmmaker whether the latter has read his novel, and the director revealed that he has not done so. The novelist also noted that both have background elements characteristic of Ango-Indians in North Chennai, but they are different works at a fundamental level.
Anbe Diana has opened in theatres to mostly mixed reviews from critics. According to data from the box office tracker Sacnilk, the film has earned 3.18 crore from theatres worldwide. With the imminent release of Vijay's final film, Jana Nayagan, the film is set to face major competition at the box office.
Besides Pari Elavazhagan, the film stars Ramya Ranganathan, Roja Selvamani, Chetan KA, and Parithabangal Gopi, among others.
