Kannada Filmmaker Accuses Pawan Kalyan's 'OG' of Copying His 'Kabzaa'

In a recent development, Kannada filmmaker R Chandru, best known for directing the 2023 action film 'Kabzaa', has accused Pawan Kalyan's upcoming 2025 movie 'They Call Him OG' of copying visuals and sequences from his own work.

During a promotional interview, Chandru remarked that certain moments from the 'OG' trailer closely resembled scenes from 'Kabzaa'. "Watch a few moments from OG's trailer -- you'll notice striking similarities to my film Kabzaa. I'm certain they've drawn some inspiration from it," he stated. While acknowledging the resemblance, Chandru added that "inspiration is not a bad thing" and suggested filmmakers often learn from each other's projects.

However, Chandru's claims have sparked a debate on social media, with many netizens pointing out that 'Kabzaa' itself was heavily inspired by the blockbuster 'KGF' franchise. "Then u copied all scenes from KGF," wrote one user, while another commented, "Kabza wholly inspired by KGF."

As the controversy unfolds, both 'OG' and 'Kabzaa' remain in the spotlight. 'OG', directed by Sujeeth, features Pawan Kalyan, Emraan Hashmi, and Prakash Raj in pivotal roles and is currently streaming on OTT platforms. Meanwhile, 'Kabzaa', starring Upendra, Sudeep, and Shriya Saran, released earlier this year to mixed reviews and underwhelming box office performance.