Dhadak (2018) is an official Hindi remake of the Marathi film Sairat (2016), not an unauthorized copy. Both films share the same director, Nitesh Tiwari, who adapted his own story for a Hindi-speaking audience. The plot follows nearly identical beats: two young people from opposing social classes fall in love, face family and community opposition, and attempt to elope, with tragic consequences.
However, the two films are distinct productions with different casts, music, cinematography, and locales. Sairat is set in Maharashtra with Marathi-speaking characters, while Dhadak relocates the story to Rajasthan with Hindi-speaking leads. The remake approach was commercially motivated, as Sairat had been a major success in Marathi cinema, and remaking regional hits for pan-Indian audiences is an established Bollywood practice.
The term "copy" typically implies unauthorized imitation, whereas Dhadak is a legitimate, credited remake approved by the original creators. Many viewers and critics found Dhadak less impactful than Sairat, citing stronger performances and cultural specificity in the original. Both films were successful, though Sairat achieved greater critical acclaim.
The relationship between the films illustrates how successful regional cinema often gets adapted for larger markets—a standard industry practice rather than plagiarism. Audiences interested in the story can watch either version depending on their language preference and interest in the cultural contexts each film portrays.