A petition has been filed in the Delhi high court seeking a stay on the release of the upcoming Netflix film ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ starring Manoj Bajpayee. The plea was submitted by Mahender Chaturvedi through advocate Vineet Jindal and has gained attention amid a wider controversy over the project’s title and promotional material.
The petitioner has argued that the film’s title and associated marketing unfairly associate the term “Pandat” with corruption and bribery, amounting to what he described as collective defamation of the Brahmin community and a derogatory portrayal of a recognised religious and social group. The plea states that such an association threatens communal harmony and public order and seeks urgent intervention from the court to prevent the release and streaming of the movie.
According to the petition the use of the title is “communally offensive and defamatory” and could result in large-scale harm to the dignity, reputation and social standing of the Brahmin community. The petitioner has also made the Union government a party to the case, contending it has a constitutional duty to regulate digital and OTT platforms to ensure content that may harm public sentiment is not circulated unchecked.
The issue has triggered broader backlash against the film with protests and legal notices issued in various regions. The Lucknow police have registered an FIR against the film’s makers and director Neeraj Pandey under relevant sections for allegedly hurting caste and religious sentiments. In response director Neeraj Pandey said the film is a fictional story that does not represent or comment on any community and that promotional material had been taken down pending further context for audiences. Manoj Bajpayee also commented that the project focuses on a flawed individual’s journey and is not intended as a statement about any community.
The Delhi high court is yet to list the matter for hearing and no interim order on the release has been announced to date.
