Shah Rukh Khan-Alia Bhatt's Dear Zindagi in TROUBLE,Official Statement

Director Gauri Shinde on Monday said she was "deeply disturbed" by "irresponsible comments" that her upcoming "Dear Zindagi" has strong similarities with Canadian TV series "Being Erica" which, she said, she hasn't even seen.

"'Dear Zindagi' is a deeply personal film. There is only one thing it borrows from. That's my life... there are a million films and serials with therapists like there are with doctors. Just because there is a doctor in a film does not mean it borrows from another film with a doctor.

"Am deeply disturbed by irresponsible comments from people who have no clue what it is that they are referring to... I have not seen this series that they refer to.. and I cannot comment on what is in it," she said in a statement.

Shinde added that "in today's world where everybody sees everything, I am not so dumb that I believe I can get away by deliberate plagiarism nor am I so insensitive to borrow without giving credit from anybody who has created anything for such a sensitive and important cause".

"Dear Zindagi" is a slice-of-life film with Alia playing the protagonist - an aspiring filmmaker, who is on the lookout for a lot of unanswered questions. The film also featured Shah Rukh Khan, Ali Zafar, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kunal Kapoor and Angad Bedi.

It is Shinder's second outing after "English Vinglish".