When Jeffrey Archer called B’wood thieves

British bestselling author and former politician Jeffrey Archer has died at the age of 86. His publisher, HarperCollins, confirmed that the celebrated novelist died “suddenly and peacefully at home” on Monday. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

Archer leaves behind a literary career spanning five decades, during which he sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. He was best known for novels including Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less and Kane & Abel. His final novel, Adam & Eve, is set to be released this week, just days after his death.

While Archer’s books made him one of the world’s most widely read authors, his association with India was not without controversy. The novelist had publicly accused sections of Bollywood of using ideas from his books without permission or compensation, leading to his sharp criticism of the Hindi film industry.

During a visit to India in 2015, Archer spoke about what he alleged were unauthorised adaptations of his work. He specifically pointed to Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl (2011) and Khudgarz (1987), claiming that the films drew similarities from his novels Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less and Kane & Abel, respectively.

Archer was particularly vocal about Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl, which starred Ranveer Singh as a conman targeted by women seeking revenge. He alleged that the film’s central premise bore similarities to his 1976 novel.

The author expressed his frustration in unusually blunt terms, referring to Bollywood filmmakers as a “bunch of thieves” and accusing them of using his storylines without seeking his permission.