Director Atlee has addressed the persistent plagiarism allegations that have shadowed his career, particularly in light of the recent controversy surrounding the poster of his upcoming film with Allu Arjun and Deepika Padukone. The film, tentatively titled AA22, has already generated significant buzz, but also unwanted attention when fans noticed striking similarities between its promotional poster and that of the Hollywood blockbuster, Dune.

This isn't the first time Atlee has faced such accusations. In the past, his films Mersal, Theri, and Thalapathy 63 have all been embroiled in plagiarism controversies, with accusations ranging from lifting storylines from other films to copying individual scenes. In 2019, an aspiring director named Shiva even filed a complaint against Atlee, claiming that the story of Thalapathy 63 was copied from his short film.

Addressing these recurring allegations, Atlee has generally maintained that in a creative field, similarities are bound to arise. He has emphasized the importance of inspiration and his willingness to take risks, stating that many great filmmakers have faced similar criticisms. "In the creative field, you end up making similar stories. That doesn't mean I copy it. It can be inspired," he said in response to previous accusations. He has also pointed to his inspirations from figures like MGR (Ramachandran), whose songs inspired him to include intro songs in his movies.

Recently, while accepting an honorary doctorate from Sathyabama University in Chennai, Atlee once again addressed the issue. He defended his work by citing the example of Vijay's character in his 2019 film Bigil, explaining that the character was inspired by Jeppiaar, the chancellor and founder of the university. "Raayappan in Bigil was inspired by Jeppiaar sir," Atlee stated. "Today, when I got the doctorate and they played music from Mersal...I believe I earned this only through honesty, only through love. I promise today that I will make this country proud."

Regarding the Allu Arjun-Deepika Padukone film, Atlee has been keen to emphasize its originality. Speaking at the honorary doctorate ceremony, he clarified that the film is entirely original and not inspired by any Hollywood production. He also revealed ambitious plans for the project, stating that it will introduce several new filmmaking technologies to Indian cinema and aims to be the most expensive Indian film ever made. "The budget hasn't been fixed yet because we don't want to limit our vision. We're dreaming big, and it will be a proud moment for Indian cinema when it releases," he said.

Adding to the excitement surrounding the film, Atlee revealed that Deepika Padukone has joined the cast as the leading lady. Sun Pictures, the production company, welcomed her onboard, calling her "The Queen" who "marches to conquer!" The film has also enlisted the talents of several Hollywood VFX studios, with acclaimed VFX supervisor James Madigan describing the script as something that made his "head still spinning." Mike Elizalde, the president of Spectral Motion, called the script "unlike anything I've ever read," and Justin Raleigh, an Academy Award winner, expressed his excitement about the "creature potential" and "different character potential" within the story.

Allu Arjun himself has shown his support for Atlee, congratulating the director on social media for receiving his honorary doctorate. "Big congratulations to @Atlee_dir garu on receiving the honorary doctorate. Really happy to see your passion and craft being celebrated at this level. Wishing you many more heights ahead," Arjun wrote.

While the plagiarism allegations continue to linger, Atlee seems determined to move forward and focus on creating a film that will make the nation proud. With a stellar cast, cutting-edge technology, and an ambitious vision, the Allu Arjun-Deepika Padukone project has the potential to silence the critics and solidify Atlee's position as a leading director in Indian cinema.