India, June 17 -- D irector Atlee was honoured with an honorary doctorate by Sathyabama University in Chennai on Saturday evening. Taking the stage to accept the award, the filmmaker delivered a heartfelt speech, during which he also addressed long-standing criticism that his films borrow heavily from other works. "There's a general perception that the films I make are copied from somewhere," Atlee said and added, "But today, I want to share my journey and give you an example you can relate to." He cited the character Rayappan - a gangster-turned-football coach played by Vijay in his 2019 film Bigil - as an example, revealing that the role was inspired by Jeppiaar, the founder and former chancellor of Sathyabama University. "When they played music from Mersal today, and I received this honour, I truly felt that it was earned - through honesty and love. I promise to make this country proud," he said. Atlee's remarks come amid renewed scrutiny over the originality of his work. Just two months ago, fans on social media pointed out similarities between the poster of his upcoming project, AA22 X A6, starring Allu Arjun, and the artwork of the Hollywood sci-fi film Dune, sparking fresh debate. The director also opened up about the ambitious scale of his next film, which stars Allu Arjun and Deepika Padukone. "It's one of the most expensive films to be made in our country," Atlee said, added, "We're using a lot of new technology. I'm dreaming big - the budget is still being finalised, and the release date will be announced by the producer." Atlee made his directorial debut with Raja Rani in 2013 and has delivered a string of box office successes since. His last film, Jawan (2023), starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, marked his Bollywood debut and grossed over Rs.1,100 crore worldwide, becoming Shah Rukh's highest-grossing film to date. htc...