Not A Hero: Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi found guilty of plagiarising latest film

Filmmaker Asghar Farhadi has been found guilty of plagiarism by an Iranian court. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two-time Oscar winning director had stolen the idea for his recent movie,  A Hero, from a documentary All Winners All Losers, made by his former student Azadeh Masihzadeh.

The ruling cannot be appealed and is binding, as per report. Another judge will now take a call on the director’s punishment. He may have to hand over all the income he earned from the film, both through theatres and online, to his student. There is a possibility that Farhadi might go to prison as well.

The filmmaker had earlier claimed while his movie was based on the same story as his student's documentary, he had independently researched the plot.

Farhadi sued Masihzadeh for defamation and she countersued accusing Farhadi of plagiarising her original work. In an interview to ABC News, Masihzadeh had explained how she came up with the character of the film independently on the basis of the research, she did in her town of Shiraz, Iran.

This week, both the suits were decided in her favour, including the defamation case, while Farhadi was found guilty of plagiarism. The Hollywood Reporter had reached out to Farhadi’s lawyer in France who represents Memento Production, the co-producers of the film, but did not receive a reply.

A Hero had even won the Jury Grand Prix in 2021's Cannes Film Festival but it was not a part of the Oscars shortlist this year.

The film revolves around a single father, who finds a purse that contains gold coins, while on a two-day furlough from his prison sentence for overdue debt. Despite the initial thought of selling the coins and buying his freedom back, Rahim decides to return the money to the owner and becomes "a hero". The character, Rahim, has been portrayed by Amir Jadidi.

A separate case, filed by Mohammad Reza Shokri, the former prisoner who is the subject of Masihzadeh’s documentary, who claimed his reputation was damaged by Farhadi’s film, was dismissed by the court.

A Hero is slated to release in Indian cinemas this Friday on 8 April.