The controversy around the title of Manoj Bajpayee-starrer Ghooskhor Pandat intensified on Friday, with the film’s makers receiving a formal notice from a Mumbai-based film body and Netflix facing a fresh FIR over alleged hurt to caste sentiments. The row has put the upcoming release under sharp scrutiny even before its official launch.
Film Makers Combine (FMC) issued a notice to Friday Story Tellers, the production house led by Neeraj Pandey, claiming the title Ghooskhor Pandat was never registered with producers’ associations and is therefore “unauthorised.” The body warned that using an unregistered title violates its rules and could invite disciplinary action. A separate notice was also sent to Netflix, urging the streaming platform to refrain from using the title, citing procedural violations.
The legal pressure has been compounded by an FIR filed in Lucknow against the film’s makers, alleging that the title is defamatory to the Brahmin community and reinforces harmful stereotypes by linking the word “Pandat” with bribery. Police said they took cognisance of complaints from members of social organisations who expressed anger over the perceived insult to religious and caste sentiments. A writ petition seeking a stay on the film’s release and streaming is also pending before the Delhi High Court.
Responding to the backlash, producer Neeraj Pandey said the term “Pandat” is used in the film as a colloquial nickname for a fictional character and not meant to target any community. He acknowledged the hurt caused and announced that all promotional material, including the first-look teaser released by Netflix, has been taken down for review. Pandey added that the film should be judged in full context rather than on brief promotional clips.
Ghooskhor Pandat, written by Neeraj Pandey and Ritesh Shah and marking Shah’s directorial debut, stars Manoj Bajpayee alongside Nushrat Bharuccha, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi and Divya Dutta. With no release date announced yet, the project now faces uncertainty as legal and industry challenges mount around its title.
