Aelay Director Halitha Shameem accuses Lijo Jose Pellissery of plagiarism

Director Halitha Shameem recently accused director Lijo Jose Pellissery of plagiarism. The director, who is popular for directing films such as Sillu Karupatti and Poovarasam Peepee, said that Jose Pellissery copied the “aesthetics” from one of her films. Halitha Shameem posted the accusations on Facebook. 

Halitha Shameem said that she coordinated the actions of an entire village for her film Aelay. It was an aesthetic that she had created dedicatedly for her film. To her shock, said the director, she found the same aesthetics present in  Lijo Jose Pellissery's Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam. 

The director expressed that she was glad for the villagers to find another opportunity with Jose Pellissery’s film. However, Shameem deemed the replication of the same aesthetics to be unacceptable. 

She detailed some crucial points that were used in Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam with minute alterations. Shameem ended her post by saying that she spoke from a place of anxiety, as her “ideas and aesthetics from [Aelay] are mercilessly ripped off.” 

More about Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam comes from director Lijo Jose Pellissery. The film, also titled Like An Afternoon Dream in English, was released on December 22, 2022, to critical acclaim. It features actors Mammootty and Ramya Pandian in crucial roles. It’s centred around several topics such as spirituality, insomnia and fantasy. The film is also in part produced by Mammootty.