Filmmaker and writer Neeraj Pandey has issued an official statement after his film Ghooskhor Pandat stirred up hornet’s nest over its title and sparked backlash from Brahmin community. The film is now in legal trouble after an FIR has been registered at the Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow on Thursday against director Ritesh Shah and team members of the film.
The FIR was filed following a string of complaints were received against the title of the film which many felt hurt religious sentiments of Brahmin community. According to India Today, the content was considered objectionable and may have triggered unrest or offence.
As per Hindustan Times, one of the complaints stated the film’s title is defamatory against the Brahmin community and is perpetuating stereotypes that Pandits (also spelled Pandat) are associated with bribery and thus corrupt.
Ghooskhor Pandat writer Neeraj Pandey releases official statement
Writer Neeraj Pandey has issued a clarification on his film Ghooskhor Pandat and released a statement, saying they admit that the film may have caused hurt to some viewers and “acknowledge these feelings.”
“Our film is a fictional cop drama, and the term “Pandat” is used simply as a colloquial name for a fictional character… 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. We look forward to share the film with the audiences soon,” he wrote.
Ghooskhor Pandit first look removed
Ghooskhor Pandat was unveiled on Tuesday by Netflix at its Next on Netflix 2026 event in Mumbai amid much fanfare. The film, written by Neeraj Pandey and Ritesh Shah, stars Manoj Bajpayee, Nushrat Bharuccha, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, and Divya Dutta. However, after the controversy, its first look teaser has been taken down from social media.