Ghooskhor Pandat: FIR filed against movie for hurting caste sentiments after CM Yogi's directive
Netflix’s film Ghooskhor Pandat, starring Manoj Bajpayee, has come under a legal scanner in Uttar Pradesh after an FIR was registered in Lucknow over its title. The police said the title allegedly hurts caste and religious sentiments.
Netflix's upcoming film Ghooskhor Pandat has landed in controversy even before its release. An FIR has been registered at Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow against the director and team of the film over hurting religious and caste sentiments. It must be noted that the FIR was lodged on charges of attempting to disturb social harmony and hurting religious and caste-based sentiments. Apart from this, protests and ban calls have already been held in Bhopal. A petition has also been filed against the series in the Delhi High Court.
FIR filed against Ghooskhor Pandat's director and team in Lucknow
Inspector Vikram Singh of Hazratganj took cognisance of the matter after social media reactions claimed that caste sentiments were hurt and social harmony was being affected, following which the FIR was registered.
The Lucknow Police Commissionerate stated that under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's zero-tolerance policy, strict action will be taken against any elements that hurt the sentiments of any community or play with peace and law and order. The police action is based on the assessment of the content:
- Uses objectionable references to a particular caste/community (Brahmin) through its title and narrative
- Is alleged to hurt religious and social sentiments
- Contains elements that may disturb social harmony and public order
- Appears, from the trailer and scenes, to promote unrest and spread disharmony
The document also makes it clear that the action is taken under the directions of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, follows a zero-tolerance policy toward content that incites social or religious tension, and that further legal action will be taken after detailed investigation. A case has been registered under sections 196 of the Indian Code of Criminal Procedure, 2023, 299 of the Indian Code of Criminal Procedure, 2023, 352 of the Indian Code of Criminal Procedure, 2023, and 353 of the Indian Code of Criminal Procedure, 2023, and section 66 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008.
Ghooskhor Pandat: What led to the controversy?
The title of the film is alleged to have been chosen with the intention of insulting a particular community, specifically Brahmins. This has led to widespread outrage on social media, with members of the Brahmin community and several social organisations expressing strong anger over the film's name and content, and some even threatening protests.
At first, it appears that the director and his team released the content in a manner that could create social discord, disrupt peace and order, and undermine communal harmony.
Neeraj Pandey issues statement over Ghooskhor Pandat title controversy
Addressing the concerns, the director issued a clarification in an Instagram post, saying, "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. As a filmmaker, I approach my work with a deep sense of responsibility - to tell stories that are thoughtful and respectful. This film, like my earlier work, has been created with sincere intent and solely to entertain audiences (sic)."
The note further added, "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 (sic)."
For the unversed, Neeraj Pandey is best known for his unique storytelling and his famous projects include Special 26, A Wednesday and Special Ops. His most recent directorial work is Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web, which was released on Netflix.
Ghooskhor Pandat: Cast and production details
Besides the lead actor Manoj Bajpayee, the film features Nushrat Bharuccha, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, and Divya Dutta in key roles. The film is produced by Neeraj Pandey under his production house Friday Filmworks.
Also Read: Neeraj Pandey issues clarification over Manoj Bajpayee's Ghooskhor Pandat title controversy