NEW DELHI: An FIR by the UP government and now the Centre directing Netflix to remove the teaser of Manoj Bajpayee-starrer “Ghooskhor Pandat” reflects the sensitivities surrounding the Brahmin community ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, as the steps followed massive outrage from outfits representing the community across the state.
While members of the Brahmin community resorted to protests against the film in Agra on Saturday, the Akhil Bharatiya Sarva Brahmin Mahasabha staged a protest march against the film in Kanpur. Protests by members of the Brahmin community were also witnessed in Jhansi.
Sensing an opportunity to gain political mileage, the opposition, including BSP chief Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, and the Congress, have jumped into the controversy, demanding that the Centre ban the film. They said that, for some time now, not just in UP but even in films, Pandits were being insulted across the country, terming it “a matter of sadness and concern.” Adding that it has led to anger within the community, Mayawati said her party criticises such actions in the toughest terms.
Mayawati, who was elected CM in 2007 powered by the Brahmin, Dalits, and Muslims (BMD) in the 2007 state assembly elections, has been attempting to woo the Brahmin community ahead of the 2027 assembly elections by recreating the BMD formula again. Ahead of her meeting with all office-bearers and state-in-charges in Lucknow on Saturday, Mayawati highlighted “the neglect, insecurity, and disrespect of the Brahmin community under the BJP government.” “Although the current situation shows that, except for a handful of people whose selfish interests are being met, the policies and actions of the BJP government have upset and troubled people of all communities, the Brahmin society is especially speaking out against neglect, insecurity, and disrespect, which is being discussed across the country… because of this, the BJP is visibly uncomfortable and concerned,” she said ahead of the meeting.
Reaching out to the community once again, she said it was worth pondering whether any other party or government had given the respect, posts, and security to the Brahmin community “the way it was given under the government of BSP and Mayawati.” Writing a post on X on Saturday, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav did not mention the title of the film but indirectly targeted it, saying it should not be released even after a change of title. Stating that the title of the film was not objectionable but insulting, Yadav said, “Production of such films will only stop when film producers face financial losses because those working on the agenda of the BJP are not concerned about anything except money, just like the BJP.”
The UP Congress has also criticised the film, demanded that the web series be banned, and alleged that the movie “was brought deliberately to serve a particular agenda.” “The BJP has always done politics of dividing society, which is why such films or web series have been made in the recent past. While there has been no action on the rampant obscenity visible in OTT web series and movies, the BJP ensures that such movies are brought to save its politics. This movie should be banned because such films divide society.” UP Congress spokesperson Sachin Rawat told TSG. The developments following the protests and politicisation of the issue in UP reflect that the BJP is indeed in damage control mode. With Lucknow’s Hazraratganj police station lodging an FIR against the director of the movie, Neeraj Pandey, and several members associated with its production team, the move reflects that the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government wants to ensure it doesn’t further antagonise the Brahmin community – a section of which is already upset with the BJP.
The FIR was registered on a complaint from Hazraratganj Inspector Vikram Singh, who alleged that authorities received multiple complaints over the film’s title and on the basis of allegations that the film’s content hurt public sentiments and disturbed social harmony. In the FIR, it was alleged that sections of the public found it objectionable. The UP BJP also fielded its Brahmin deputy CM, Brajesh Pathak, to lead the damage control exercise. In a statement issued by Pathak on Friday, the deputy CM said that the movie had caused mental agony to the Brahmin community.
“I requested the Government of India, after which it directed all OTT platforms not to use such titles and remove them immediately, and that such titles not be used in the future too, which can cause societal disharmony or comments pointing towards a particular section of society. The Government of India has accepted my request and issued instructions for the future as well,” he said.
