Ghooskhor Pandat, created by filmmaker Neeraj Pandey and featuring Manoj Bajpayee, is one of Netflix’s 26 exclusive new titles for the year. Following the announcement of the film on Tuesday, there was a sustained online backlash against it by the Brahmin community for allegedly hurting caste sentiments and disrupting social harmony. Meanwhile, some netizens pointed out that the film’s narrative is fictional and that the producer and lead actor come from Brahmin backgrounds.
Ghooskhor Pandat: Cast & Plot
In Ghooskhor Pandat, Manoj Bajpayee plays Ajay Dikshit, a dishonest police officer in Delhi who cares more about bribes than duty. His routine life takes a sharp turn when he is linked to a case involving a badly injured young woman, leading him into a dangerous chain of events far bigger than he expected.
The film features an ensemble cast including Nushrratt Bharuccha, Divya Dutta, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, Shraddha Das, and Kiku Sharda.
Ghooskhor Pandat: UP police files FIR
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath personally directed the Hazratganj Police Station, Lucknow to lodge an FIR against the film, its makers, and the OTT platform streaming it. As per reports, police officials claimed that the complaint was for defaming the Brahmin community, following widespread objections to the series’ trailer, which recently went viral on social media.
They also stated that the move was aimed at maintaining law and order by preventing social tensions. According to ANI, the police said that prima facie the title has been deliberately framed to target and insult a particular community, by associating the term “Pandat” with corruption (Ghooskhor).
Ghooskhor Pandat: Mayawati calls for a ban on film
In a post on X, BSP supremo Mayawati called the film “casteist”. She said it was a matter of great sorrow and concern that the word “Pandit” was being portrayed as an infiltrator even in films. She claimed that this insulted and disrespected an entire community, and demanded an immediate ban on the film.
Ghooskhor Pandat: Manoj Bajpayee & Neeraj Pandey Statement
Manoj Bajpayee, the lead actor, also clarified his position. He said that in this film, his intention was to “portray a flawed individual and his journey of self-realization”. He assured that this was not meant to be a blanket statement about any community. Neeraj Pandey, known for films such as A Wednesday and Baby, has also responded to the controversy surrounding the film and apologized for inadvertently causing offense.
Taking to his Instagram, Pandey wrote, “Our film is a fictional cop drama, and the term ‘Pandat’ is used simply as a colloquial name for a fictional character. The story focuses on an individual’s actions and choices and does not comment on or represent any caste, religion, or community.” Further, he continued, “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.”
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