Manoj Bajpayee's ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ To Undergo Title Change After Controversy, Netflix Confirms
Netflix informed the Delhi High Court that the makers of ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ will change the film's title.
After a week of facing backlash on social media, Netflix finally informed the Delhi High Court that the producers of the Manoj Bajpayee-starrer 'Ghooskhor Pandat' will change the film's title. According to Hindustan Times, the decision is "conscious", and this comes in response to concerns being raised over the wording allegedly defaming the Brahmin community. The streaming platform also confirmed that the new title would better reflect the project's narrative and intent.
The revelation was made in response to a petition being filed by Mahender Chaturvedi, who had earlier sought a stay on the film’s release. According to Hindustan Times, the petitioner alleged that the title and promotional content for the project are defamatory and also communally sensitive.
Last week, protests erupted in different parts of the country, with members of Brahmin organisations demanding a ban and accusing the project of targeting a particular community. In Uttar Pradesh, an FIR was filed against the makers, and effigies of the filmmakers and actor Manoj Bajpayee were also burnt at several locations.
The controversy erupted with the use of word 'Ghooskhor' (one who accepts bribes) alongside Pandat, a term commonly associated with Brahmin Hindu priests.
Earlier, Manoj Bajpayee had reacted to the controversy, saying the allegations were taken very seriously by the makers. "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," he said.
He also clarified that the intention wasn’t to hurt 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. This was not meant to be a statement about any community," he added.
For the unversed, the National Human Rights Commission had earlier issued a notice to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting regarding the title of the film, which it found promoted ‘negative stereotypes'. A writ petition was also filed before the Delhi High Court by Mahender Chaturvedi through Advocate Vineet Jindal seeking a stay on the release of 'Ghooskhor Pandat'.
Featuring Manoj Bajpayee in the title role, 'Ghooskhor Pandat' follows Ajay Dikshit, also known as Pandat, a corrupt police officer whose plans are disrupted when he finds himself caught in the middle of a global conspiracy unfolding in the heart of Delhi.
