‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ Became ‘Gajab Raat’! Indian Films Renamed After Controversies
From ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ becoming ‘Gajab Raat’ to ‘Padmavati’ turning into ‘Padmaavat’, revisit Indian films that changed their titles following protests and objections.
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A film’s first controversy can arrive long before its first review. Sometimes, a poster is enough: a sacred name, a reference to a community or even a word describing someone’s profession can turn a title into a battleground. Suddenly, the filmmakers are explaining their intentions, lawyers are getting involved and the publicity team is preparing a fresh set of posters. The latest example is Manoj Bajpayee’s ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’, which has resurfaced as ‘Gajab Raat’. Its trailer arrived on October 15, 2026, ahead of its October 23 Netflix premiere, months after the original title triggered objections and legal proceedings.
ALSO READ | Manoj Bajpayee's ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ To Undergo Title Change After Controversy, Netflix Confirms
Directed by Ritesh Shah and produced by Neeraj Pandey, the thriller now has a new name to accompany its story of one eventful night.
The route to a rename is not always the same. Some films faced street protests and disrupted screenings; others encountered objections during certification. From headline-making Bollywood dramas to smaller regional releases, here are 18 films whose titles became a story of their own:
1. Ghooskhor Pandat → Gajab Raat
Before audiences could meet Manoj Bajpayee’s morally compromised policeman, the film’s title had become the centre of a very real dispute. Objections focused on pairing a word associated with bribery with “Pandat”, which complainants argued demeaned the Brahmin community. Netflix informed the Delhi High Court in February 2026 that the producers had decided to change the name. The matter also reached the Supreme Court, which disposed of a separate petition on February 19 after producer Neeraj Pandey confirmed the original title’s withdrawal.
The replacement, ‘Gajab Raat’, shifts the emphasis to the film’s overnight chain of events. Directed by Ritesh Shah, it stars Manoj Bajpayee, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, Divya Dutta and Nushrratt Bharuccha, among others. It is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on October 23, 2026.
2. Padmavati → Padmaavat
Few Indian film titles have travelled through a storm quite like this one. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, became the target of protests by Rajput organisations over alleged misrepresentation of its queen. SLB denied claims that the film contained a romantic sequence between Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji. During certification, the CBFC recommended changing ‘Padmavati’ to ‘Padmaavat’, aligning the title with Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s poem, the film’s stated source. The rename was one of five modifications, rather than the hundreds of cuts rumoured at the time. The film eventually released on January 25, 2018, after losing its original December 2017 slot.
ALSO READ | Swara Bhasker Reignites ‘Padmaavat’ Debate: Bollywood Scenes That Sparked Major Controversies
3. Mental Hai Kya → Judgementall Hai Kya
This objection concerned the way mental illness was being spoken about. The Indian Psychiatric Society challenged ‘Mental Hai Kya’, arguing that the title was stigmatising and demeaning to people living with mental-health conditions. The makers subsequently announced ‘Judgementall Hai Kya’, acknowledging the sensitivity of the issue. Directed by Prakash Kovelamudi, the dark psychological comedy-thriller stars Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao and released on July 26, 2019. Finding a replacement apparently became its own creative exercise: Kangana said options discussed included ‘Sentimental Hai Kya’ and ‘Bobby’, after her character, before the team settled on the final name.
4. Laxmmi Bomb → Laxmii
The “Bomb” disappeared shortly before this horror-comedy’s release. ‘Laxmmi Bomb’ drew objections from Hindu groups that alleged the title disrespected Goddess Lakshmi; reports also described a legal notice seeking a change. Following discussions during certification, the makers announced the shorter ‘Laxmii’ on October 29, 2020. Directed by Raghava Lawrence and starring Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani, the film premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on November 9, 2020. It was Lawrence’s Hindi remake of his Tamil film Kanchana. He had earlier explained that the Hindi title was chosen with the new audience in mind.
5. Billu Barber → Billu
Irrfan’s character lost a word from the title after members of the Salon and Beauty Parlour Association objected to “Barber”, describing it as derogatory and raising concerns about its caste connotations. Following discussions with the association, producer Shah Rukh Khan agreed to remove it, and promotional material was altered to present the film simply as ‘Billu’. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film released on February 13, 2009, starring Irrfan Khan and Lara Dutta, with Shah Rukh playing superstar Sahir Khan. Its story centres on a struggling small-town hairdresser whose life is upended by a famous childhood friend’s arrival.
6. Loveratri → Loveyatri
One letter did a surprising amount of work here. ‘Loveratri’, the Salman Khan-backed launch film for Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain, drew objections over its resemblance to Navratri, the festival against which its romance unfolds. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other complainants argued that the title hurt religious sentiments. Salman announced ‘Loveyatri’ in September 2018 and later explained that the team did not want to offend anyone. Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, with Ram Kapoor and Ronit Roy also in the cast, the film released on October 5, 2018.
7. Ram-Leela → Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela
Before ‘Padmaavat’, SLB had already experienced how complicated a title could become. His Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone romance was widely promoted as ‘Ram-Leel’a, but objections linked that name to the traditional enactment of Lord Ram’s story and challenged its use for a film containing sensuality and violence. Amid petitions and court proceedings, the expanded ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’ became the title under which audiences encountered the film. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali clarified that the story drew on Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and that its protagonists did not represent religious figures. Released on November 15, 2013, this was an expansion of the familiar short title, with Ram and Leela’s names retained – an important distinction from a wholesale rename.
8. Prithviraj → Samrat Prithviraj
In this case, the missing word was an honorific. ‘Prithviraj’ became ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ after objections from the Karni Sena and discussions with producer Yash Raj Films over how the ruler was being addressed. In a public letter announcing the change in May 2022, the studio said it wanted to resolve the grievance amicably and had never intended to disrespect him. Written and directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, the film stars Akshay Kumar, Manushi Chhillar, Sanjay Dutt and Sonu Sood and released on June 3, 2022. The revised title placed “Emperor” before the protagonist’s name, giving the historical drama the form of address its objectors had demanded just a week before release.
9. Hey Bhagawan → Hey Balwanth
Four days before release is an awkward time to tell audiences that the movie they have been hearing about has a different name. That was the situation for Gopi Atchara’s Telugu comedy ‘Hey Bhagawan’, renamed ‘Hey Balwanth’ following CBFC objections. Reports attributed the concern to the religious implications of “Bhagawan” in the context of the film’s subject. Starring Suhas, Shivani Nagaram and V. K. Naresh, it released on February 20, 2026. The story revolves around a young man discovering the truth about his father’s mysterious business. The team tried to keep the announcement upbeat, assuring viewers that the entertainment remained intact.
10. Janaki Vs State Of Kerala → Janaki V Vs State Of Kerala
An added initial became the compromise that helped this Malayalam courtroom drama reach cinemas. The CBFC objected to “Janaki”, also a name associated with Goddess Sita, being used for the film’s se**al-assault survivor. The dispute reached the Kerala High Court, after which the producers accepted Janaki V Vs State Of Kerala, alongside muting the name in two instances. Written and directed by Pravin Narayanan, the film stars Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran, with Divya Pillai and Shruti Ramachandran among the supporting cast. It finally released on July 17, 2025, following postponements. The striking part is the scale of the disagreement over such a small alteration: an entire release was held up before one letter helped break the deadlock.
11. Saraswathi → S Saraswathi
Another initial, another certification story. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar’s directorial debut ‘Saraswathi’ reached audiences as ‘S Saraswathi’, with reports attributing the change to CBFC objections concerning the goddess-associated name. The board’s public certification record lists the revised title, with certification dated March 4, 2026. The Telugu courtroom drama released on March 6, 2026, starring Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Priyamani and Prakash Raj, with Rao Ramesh also in the cast. The modification looks tiny on a poster, but it placed the film alongside ‘Janaki V Vs State Of Kerala’ in a much larger conversation about everyday personal names, religious associations and certification. Here, the late addition of an “S” became part of the debut filmmaker’s already crowded pre-release workload.
12. Vanara → Vanaveera
For smaller films, a sudden rename can mean rebuilding recognition after much of the publicity money has already been spent. Actor-director Avinash Thiruveedhula spoke about precisely that problem when Vanara became ‘Vanaveera’ following a censor-board objection. According to his account, the association of “Vanara” with Lord Hanuman, alongside the film’s treatment of caste and politics, was considered inappropriate by the board. Starring Avinash Thiruveedhula, Simran Choudhary and Nandu, the Telugu film released on January 1, 2026. Avinash said the title had been registered and promoted well before the objection arrived. His frustration highlighted the practical cost of these disputes: a name change also means fresh publicity and another effort to tell audiences which film to book.
13. Raavan Leela → Bhavai
A film about people confusing performers with their mythological roles ran into a remarkably similar controversy outside the screen. Hardik Gajjar’s drama, promoted as Raavan Leela, became ‘Bhavai’ amid objections to its title and trailer. Starring Pratik Gandhi and Aindrita Ray, it follows two folk-theatre performers who fall in love, with their stage roles provoking hostility. Pratik later described the trolling surrounding the film as disturbing and disheartening.
There is an unusual wrinkle: the makers subsequently said the film already held a certificate under Bhavai, dated November 12, 2020, even though it had been publicised as ‘Raavan Leela’. The film ultimately released on October 22, 2021, after moving from an October 1 slot to coincide with Maharashtra’s cinema reopening.
14. Satyanarayan Ki Katha → Satyaprem Ki Katha
This love story changed course at the announcement stage. ‘Satyanarayan Ki Katha’, unveiled in 2021, drew objections because its title invoked Satyanarayan, a name of Lord Vishnu, and carried devotional associations. Director Sameer Vidwans announced that it would be changed to avoid unintentionally hurting sentiments. The replacement, ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’, was revealed in 2022, bringing together the names of its central characters, played by Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani. The film released on June 29, 2023. Unlike the frantic changes made just before some films’ opening days, this one had time to establish its new identity. By release, Satyaprem and Katha’s names had become the title’s romantic explanation as well as its practical solution.
15. Valmiki → Gaddalakonda Ganesh
This Telugu remake of Jigarthanda underwent a particularly tense eleventh-hour change. ‘Valmiki’ faced sustained objections from sections of the Boya community, who revere the sage associated with the Ramayana and opposed the title’s use for the gangster film. With protests threatening the release, the makers announced Gaddalakonda Ganesh, the name of Varun Tej’s character, on the eve of its September 20, 2019 opening. Directed by Harish Shankar, the film also stars Atharvaa and Pooja Hegde. Shankar publicly expressed disappointment that the objections persisted despite an offer to screen the film for those protesting. The team then had to replace publicity material almost overnight, turning the protagonist’s name into the film’s emergency new identity.
16. Sandiyar → Virumaandi
Kamal Haasan has never sounded entirely ready to let go of this original title. ‘Sandiyar’ became ‘Virumaandi’ after objections from Puthiya Tamilagam leader Krishnasamy, who argued that the name glorified violence. Written, directed and produced by Kamal Haasan, who also plays the lead, the film stars Abhirami, Pasupathy and Napoleon and released on January 14, 2004. Its story examines a rural conflict through competing accounts and develops an argument against capital punishment. Years later, Kamal affectionately referred to Sandiyar as the name he had given his “child” at birth while discussing the film on Bigg Boss Tamil.
17. Komaram Puli → Puli
Pawan Kalyan’s ‘Komaram Puli’ encountered objections over the use of “Komaram”, associated with tribal freedom fighter Komaram Bheem. Telangana activists disrupted screenings and demanded its removal, arguing that the name hurt local sentiments. The producers agreed to drop the word, leaving Puli. Directed by S. J. Suryah, the Telugu action film released on September 10, 2010, starring Pawan Kalyan, Nikesha Patel and Manoj Bajpayee. Pawan plays an upright police officer, while Bajpayee supplies the villainous opposition. Contemporary reporting placed the change amid opening-day disruptions, making this more than an argument confined to social media or a legal notice. The dispute had reached the cinema doors, where the film’s title was directly affecting its ability to be shown.
18. Basavanna → Shivam
This Kannada film’s search for an acceptable name took several turns. ‘Basavanna’ drew objections over using the revered social reformer’s name for a film whose publicity showed its protagonist with a gun. The team subsequently tried ‘Brahmana’ and even a religious symbol before arriving at ‘Shivam’. Directed by Srinivasa Raju, the film stars Upendra, Saloni Aswani and Ragini Dwivedi and released on January 2, 2015. Raju later spoke about the compromises and delays the production had faced, with the film ultimately receiving certification after around 25 cuts. It is one of the more elaborate examples here: changing the first disputed name did not immediately end the problem, and the replacement itself became another hurdle.
