Sreelekha, former DGP, alleges 'Dridam' and 'Bhoothakalam' lifted ideas
R Sreelekha, a former DGP and current BJP councilor, has accused the Malayalam movies Dridam and Bhoothakalam of lifting ideas from her work.
She posted on Facebook that Dridam is strikingly similar to her short story Karingudi Police Station (published in Mathrubhumi Magazine and shared on YouTube), and claimed Bhoothakalam took both its title and inspiration from her story Bhootha Bhavanam.
Joseph and Sadasivan respond, Sreelekha insists
Dridam's director Martin Joseph said his writers didn't know about Sreelekha's story at all. The film, released in 2026, is about a rookie cop navigating crime in a hill station.
Bhoothakalam's director Rahul Sadasivan said his 2022 film focuses on a mother-son duo dealing with mental health struggles.
Sreelekha stands by her claims, saying she'd shared both stories on her social media timeline.