Netflix is firmly standing by its hit Korean series ‘Squid Game’ amid accusations of plagiarism. The streaming powerhouse has issued a robust defense against claims that the popular show copied elements from a 2009 Bollywood film titled ‘Luck’, directed by Soham Shah.

The lawsuit, filed by Shah, alleges that ‘Squid Game’ borrows heavily from ‘Luck’, a film about people in financial distress who are drawn into a series of deadly games with the promise of substantial rewards. Shah’s legal team argues that the similarities between the two stories are too significant to be coincidental.

In response, Netflix has dismissed the allegations as baseless. “This claim has no merit. ‘Squid Game’ was created by and written by Hwang Dong-hyuk, and we intend to defend this matter vigorously,” the company stated. Netflix maintains that the series is a unique creation stemming from Hwang’s own imaginative efforts and asserts that any similarities to ‘Luck’ are purely accidental.

The core of Shah’s argument lies in the premise of both works. ‘Luck’ features a plot where a group of individuals, facing severe financial difficulties. They participate in high-stakes games to win a large sum of money. This, Shah contends, mirrors the central theme of ‘Squid Game’, which similarly involves contestants risking their lives in competitive games for a substantial cash prize.

Also Read: Soham Shah sues Netflix for COPYING his film ‘Luck’ and making it into ‘Squid Game’

Shah’s lawsuit also highlights a perceived overlap in timing. He claims that Netflix had ample opportunity to view ‘Luck’ due to its significant promotional efforts. Shah says Squid Games development timeline aligns suspiciously with the release of ‘Luck’. Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of ‘Squid Game’, has publicly stated that he began working on the show’s script in 2009. Shah argues that the date corresponds closely with the release date of ‘Luck’.

Released in July 2009, ‘Luck’ stars a range of Bollywood celebrities. They are Mithun Chakraborty, Shruti Haasan, Imran Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Danny Denzongpa, Ravi Kishan, and Chitrashi Rawat.

Netflix’s defense centers on the assertion that ‘Squid Game’ is a product of Hwang’s originality. They claim that any resemblance to ‘Luck’ is coincidental.