Netflix's 'Ghooskhor Pandat' faces controversy over its title, deemed offensive. The UP government has ordered its removal, while actor Manoj Bajpayee and director Neeraj Pandey have apologised and pulled promotional material.
Netflix's upcoming film Ghooskhor Pandat, directed by Neeraj Pandey and featuring Manoj Bajpayee, has ignited political and social controversy following the release of its promo on Tuesday, with sections of the public opposing the title, calling it offensive, hurtful, and disrespectful.
Government Orders Title Removal
On Friday evening, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak stated that the government had formally directed the streaming platform to remove the film's title and other promotional content. "A film titled Ghooskhor Pandat was announced for release on an OTT platform, which was creating very negative and hurtful feelings in our community. We had requested the Government of India to take action. The Government of India promptly took cognisance and instructed OTT platforms like Netflix to remove the film's title..." Pathak said.
Filmmakers Apologise and Clarify
Earlier in the day, following the backlash, Manoj Bajpayee and Neeraj Pandey posted on their respective Instagram accounts to apologise, confirming that all promotional materials had been removed from social media. "When something you are part of causes hurt to some people, it makes you pause and listen," he wrote, adding that his role focused on portraying "a flawed individual and his journey of self-realisation."He underlined that the character-driven cop drama was not meant as a social or community statement. Bajpayee also expressed confidence in filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, noting the director's "consistent seriousness and care" in storytelling.
Director Neeraj Pandey clarified that the series is a fictional cop drama and that "Pandat" is used purely as a colloquial name for a fictional character. He said the story focuses on individual actions and choices, not caste or religion, and reiterated that the project was created with sincere intent to entertain.
Political and Legal Backlash
Political reactions continued, with Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav criticising the BJP, saying, "Be very careful and wary of the BJP, because who gave permission for this to be streamed on OTT platforms? The BJP did... I can bet that the money used to produce this also came from the government," Yadav said.
On the same, Swami Chakrapani told ANI, " It is very unfortunate...Deliberate attempts have been made through Bollywood to instil a sense of division within Hindu society...This is deeply condemnable and utterly intolerable."
On February 6, an FIR was registered at Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow against Pandey and his team, citing concerns over hurt religious sentiments and public harmony. A writ petition has also been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the series' release.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)