When Golmaal met Parasite: Netizen discovers bizarre yet fascinating similarities between the cult comedy and Oscar-winning Korean thriller
In a 2022 exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan made a fascinating observation about storytelling. He had said, “If you see, there are only 6 to 7 plots in the world of cinema. And filmmakers are making films based on these 6 to 7 plots only and making them into a wholesome story.” His point was simple yet striking. Cinema, across countries and generations, often recycles broad ideas (sometimes unintentionally or without knowing someone else has already attempted the idea). What changes are the treatment, world-building, characters, tone and emotional texture. That is why several films may have similar basic plots, yet audiences rarely draw parallels, as the settings and execution are completely different.
Recently, netizens were similarly surprised when someone pointed out certain similarities between Dhurandhar and Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya. On paper, the comparison sounded unexpected. But once the parallels were highlighted, several viewers admitted that there were indeed some similarities. Yet, it was not immediately obvious because Aditya Dhar mounted Dhurandhar in a completely different world, far removed from the raw, grimy universe of RGV’s gangster classic. Rakesh Roshan himself had once remarked that many people told him that S S Rajamouli’s Baahubali reminded them of his own blockbuster, Karan Arjun.
Now, a social media user has made a comparison that has amused and even astounded netizens. An Instagram page has drawn parallels between Rohit Shetty’s cult comic caper Golmaal (2006) and Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning Korean film Parasite (2019). At first, the comparison seems bizarre. After all, Golmaal is a mainstream Hindi comedy designed for laughs, while Parasite is a razor-sharp dark comedy and social thriller. But once the comparison was drawn and even when no explanation was offered, it was difficult to unsee the similarities.
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In both films, the central characters enter the palatial home of unsuspecting, wealthy and trusting people through deception. In Golmaal, the protagonist pretends to be related to a blind couple and start living in their house for their own benefit. He is joined by three of his friends. In Parasite, the members of a lower-income family gradually infiltrate the home of an affluent family by pretending to be unrelated professionals.
Another interesting similarity is the idea of people secretly staying inside the house without the original residents fully knowing the truth. In Golmaal, much of the comedy arises from the presence of unwanted guests and hidden identities inside Paresh Rawal and Sushmita Mukherjee’s house. In the pre-climax, it is implied that Paresh Rawal’s character knew the truth, but the audience remains unaware of this for most of the film. In Parasite, the revelation of hidden inhabitants inside the house becomes one of the film’s most shocking turning points.
Of course, the similarities end at the basic premise level. The two films are not identical in story, intent or impact. Golmaal uses the idea to create slapstick comedy, mistaken identities and family-friendly chaos. Parasite, on the other hand, turns the same broad idea into a chilling commentary on class divide, privilege and survival. The endings, too, are poles apart. One leaves the audience smiling; the other leaves them stunned and disturbed.
That is what makes the comparison so fascinating. It is not about accusing one film of resembling another. It is about understanding how cinema can take a similar storytelling seed and grow it into two completely different trees.
https://t.co/tFskGJltTd pic.twitter.com/MOqOYleKMI
— Kabir Sharma (@kabir998) April 25, 2026
The credit also goes to the Instagram user who spotted the connection and presented it in a way that caught everyone’s imagination. Since then, netizens have been unable to keep calm, with many calling it one of the most unexpected Bollywood-Hollywood, or rather Bollywood-Korean cinema, comparisons in recent times.
It once again proves Rakesh Roshan’s point: the number of basic plots may be limited, but the magic lies in how a filmmaker transforms that plot into a world of their own. And perhaps that is why Golmaal and Parasite, despite being miles apart in genre, mood and ambition, can still strangely belong to the same extended cinematic family.
Parasite vs Minsara Kanna
Interestingly, this is not the first time an Indian film has been compared to Parasite. Back in February 2020, when the Korean film was enjoying global acclaim ahead of its historic Oscar win, Tamil producer P L Thenappan alleged that Parasite had similarities with his 1999 film Minsara Kanna. He even claimed that he would consult international lawyers and explore legal action against the makers of Parasite. However, it seems like he never went ahead with the plan.
Minsara Kanna revolved around a wealthy young man, played by Vijay, who takes up work as a driver in the house of a rich businesswoman, played by Khushbu. Gradually, he gets different members of his family employed in the same household. However, unlike Parasite, his motive is not survival or class resentment, but love.
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