‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ Row: Neeraj Pandey Takes Down Netflix Film Teaser, Says He ‘Genuinely Acknowledges the Hurt’

Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey has issued an official statement addressing the controversy surrounding the title of his latest production, Ghooskhor Pandat, confirming that all promotional material for the film has been taken down amid backlash. The film stars Manoj Bajpayee in the titular role.

The controversy erupted after the teaser was unveiled at a Netflix event a few days ago, with a section of viewers alleging that the title was defamatory to the Brahmin community. The backlash reportedly led a Mumbai-based lawyer to issue a legal notice to the filmmakers and the streamer over the use of the title.

Billed as a gritty thriller, the film also stars Nushrat Bharuccha, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, Divya Dutta and Shraddha Das. Ghooskhor Pandat is directed by Ritesh Shah, who has also written it with Pandey.

Reacting to the controversy, Pandey shared an official statement and said, "Our film is a fictional cop drama, and the term “Pandat” is used simply as a colloquial name for a fictional character. The story focuses on an individual’s actions and choices and does not comment on or represent any caste, religion, or community."

Pandey said as a filmmaker, he approaches his work with a "deep sense of responsibility - to tell stories that are thoughtful and respectful" and added that Ghooskhor Pandat was made with "sincere intent and solely to entertain audiences."

"We understand that the title of the film has caused hurt to some viewers, and we genuinely acknowledge those feelings. In light of these concerns, we have decided to take down all promotional materials for the time being, as we believe the film should be experienced in its entirety and understood in the context of the story we intended to tell, rather than judged on partial glimpses. I look forward to sharing the film with audiences soon," the statement read.

According to the team, Ghooskhor Pandat is a one-night thriller that follows the corrupt and morally bankrupt police officer Ajay Dikshit, as an unexpected encounter disrupts his plans and draws him into a chain of events far larger than anticipated.