Manoj Bajpayee, who plays a corrupt police officer nicknamed ‘Pandat’ in Netflix’s Ghooskhor Pandat has opened up on the controversy surrounding its title which has attracted a host of complaints and legal trouble. The actor’s post comes after writer of the film Neeraj Pandey released an official statement acknowledging the hurt feeling and clarifying the term ‘Pandat’ is used simply as a colloquial name for a fictional character.
‘When something you are part of causes hurt….’
“I respect the emotions and concerns people have shared, and I take them seriously. When something you are part of causes hurt to some people, it makes you pause and listen,” wrote Bajpayee on his official X handle.
The actor added that the film was not meant to be a statement about any community. “As an actor, I come to a film through the character and the story I am playing. For me, this was about portraying a flawed individual and his journey of self-realisation,” he added.
Defending Pandey’s writing, the actor wrote that he approaches films with seriousness and care. “In my experience of working with Neeraj Pandey, there has been a consistent seriousness and care in how he approaches his films,” he added.
What the controversy is about
The controversy began after a Mumbai based advocate Ashutosh Dubey sent a legal notice to Netflix and makers of the film, demanding withdrawal of the title which is “defamatory, community vilifying, unconstitutional, and socially incendiary.”
Dubey said that linking a term associated with bribery with the word Pandit or Pandat which is “deeply rooted in Indian civilisation” unfairly associates “criminality and moral depravity” to a respected community identity. The notice called the usage “per se offensive” and “objectionable.” It also added that corruption is “an individual moral failing and should not be projected as a community trait.”
A writ petition was filed in the Delhi High Court by advocate Vineet Jindal asking for stay on film’s release arguing the title is defamatory and offensive to the Brahmin community.
Trouble escalates for Ghooskhor Pandat
An FIR was registered at the Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow on Thursday against director Ritesh Shah and team members of the film after multiple complaints asking for dropping of defamatory title of the film which is hurting religious sentiments of Brahmin community.
Neeraj Pandey issues official statement
Writer Neeraj Pandey issued a statement after controversy over Ghooskhor Pandat’s title continued.
“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,” he wrote.