Renowned filmmaker Priyadarshan, known for his entertaining and memorable comedy scenes that have delighted generations, has often faced allegations of copying films. The director himself has admitted to drawing inspiration from foreign language movies for his works, which has sparked debates in the industry and among audiences.

Recently, Manu Swaraj, the director of the Padakkalam, addressed these allegations in a candid interview with WITcrew YouTube channel. Responding to a question about Padakkalam and referencing Priyadarshan’s films like Boeing Boeing and Vandanam, an interviewer implied that these were mere copies, remarking, "The CD is there," hinting at a copycat label.

Manu Swaraj pushed back strongly against this notion, stating the complexity involved in adapting foreign films to fit Malayalam culture. He said, “Everyone talks a lot about that man (Priyadarshan). I challenge anyone to take an English film and try to make it in Malayalam only then will they understand the difficulty. There is no bigger task than culturally transplanting a story into Malayalam.”

He continued, “I can give you ten CDs. Try to remake them in Malayalam, and you will see people booing it. It’s not an easy job to bring a story into our culture and make it work here. I say this from experience, as I have done it myself. I have attempted to adapt many English films...It requires a different skill set.”