Comparisons between Bhoomi poster and Hollywood film upset Anubhav Sinha

The first poster for Bhoomi was released on Sanjay Dutt's 58th birthday. Courtesy Nikon ME

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has nothing to do with Omung Kumar's Bhoomi, but he is enraged by claims that the first poster of the Sanjay Dutt-starrer is copied from a Hollywood film. He says he is not in favour of "some bizarre, out of work, useless pests" who put people's hard work down.

Sanjay shared the poster on his 58th birthday on Saturday, and it shows a close-up with him in a grim mood with his face covered with dust and blood. Some people highlighted the resemblance of the Bhoomi poster with Liam Neeson's film Grey. 

To prove his point, Sinha took to his Facebook page and cited examples of several other projects that used close-up shots for their poster.

The lengthy post that came with a disclaimer 'Warning - abusive language alert' and read: "Bollywood is so full of some bizarre, out of work, useless pests. Can't put a movie together themselves and they start running down other people's work the moment a movie gets off the ground."

He went on to explain what bothered him, and also cleared that he is not speaking up because he has some vested interest attached to the project -- which is directed by Omung Kumar, and backed by Bhushan Kumar and Sandeep Singh. 

Sinha added: "This afternoon saw a fantastic poster of Bhoomi (I have nothing to do with the film but for the fact that I love Sanju). Minutes later, another Liam Neeson poster of a movie called Grey started circulating as the one Bhoomi copied. "

The Tum Bin maker continued: "It is a bloody close-up and I attach here quite a few such posters that for sure did not copy each other. These are posters made of a close-up. I think the Bhoomi poster is fantastic and that's it."

Sinha feels "movies are about magic that a large team puts together over years. Blood, sweat and money goes behind it. If you start talking s--- about movies from the point they get off the ground you will ruin the magic. 

Touched by the post, Omung also took to Twitter to thank Sinha.

He posted: "It is encouraging that while on one side we have people who are on the move to kill the zeal of passionate filmmakers, on the other side, we have people who are empathetic. Thanks for putting it in words Anubhav, what it takes to put together and release it. As long as we have people like you to support and encourage us, the show will go on." 

Bhoomi marks Sanjay's comeback after he was released from the Yerwada Central Jail in Pune in 2016. It is an emotional and sensitive revenge drama that explores the relationship between a father and daughter. It also stars Shekhar Kapur and Aditi Rao Hydari.

*IANS