'Ghooskhor Pandat' title sparks row, Neeraj Pandey withdraws publicity material

New Delhi/Mumbai: Hindi film Ghooskhor Pandat sparked a controversy on Friday over its title with politicians and social media users calling it casteist, prompting filmmaker Neeraj Pandey and lead star Manoj Bajpayee to issue a clarification, saying the intention was not to cause hurt and they are withdrawing all the publicity material related to the movie.

The film, which is produced by Pandey and portrays Bajpayee as a corrupt cop, was announced on Tuesday during a Netflix event in Mumbai.

After the film's teaser was unveiled, the title triggered an outrage on social media with many users saying that it portrays a particular community in bad light.

The UP Police has registered an FIR against the film’s director on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The case was registered at the Hazratganj police station late on Thursday night.

In a statement, the Uttar Pradesh government said the action was taken on charges of spreading social animosity, hurting religious and caste sentiments, and attempting to disturb public peace.

A senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said the Centre has asked Netflix to remove the teaser and other promotional contents of the film from social media.

"Taking swift action in the matter, the Centre has asked Netflix to remove the teaser and all other promotional contents of the film. Such a kind of thing, which is against any society, is completely unacceptable," a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader told PTI.

The crime thriller follows Bajpayee's Ajay Dikshit, also known as Pandat, a corrupt police officer whose plans for a lucrative and eventful night are disrupted when he finds himself caught in the middle of a global conspiracy unfolding in the heart of Delhi.

The film is directed by Ritesh Shah, who has also penned the story with Pandey. It is produced by Pandey through his banner Friday Filmworks.

The BSP as well as the VHP also condemned the film's title.

Former UP CM and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati demanded that the centre immediately impose a ban on the "casteist" movie.

In a post on her official X handle, Mayawati said it is a matter of "great sorrow and concern" that the term "pandit" was being portrayed as an infiltrator not only in Uttar Pradesh, but now even in films, leading to insult and disrespect across the country.

"This has led to widespread anger among the entire Brahmin community at present. Our party strongly condemns it," she said.

Vinod Bansal, the national spokesperson of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), said the movie attacks the “most respectable” segment of society, and urged the government to look into the issue.

“Through the name of the series, you are not only attacking the most respectable segment of our hindu society but also trying to spread hatred and unrest in the country. Stop it forthwith and apologise, otherwise the Hindu society will be forced to take democratic action against your such repeated attempts,” he said in a post on X.

Amid the uproar, Pandey and Bajpayee posted statements on social media, announcing that the team had pulled the film's promos from the internet.

Pandey said the 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. As a filmmaker, I approach my work with a deep sense of responsibility - to tell stories that are thoughtful and respectful,” the filmmaker said.

Pandey acknowledged that the film's title has "hurt" a section of the audience.

“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. I look forward to sharing the film with audiences soon,” he added.

Bajpayee said he respects the emotions and concerns people have shared and takes them seriously.

"When something you are part of causes hurt to some people, it makes you pause and listen. 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 said.

Bajpayee, who earlier collaborated with Pandey on films such as Special 26 and Aiyaary, said the filmmaker approaches his work with "consistent seriousness and care".

"The filmmakers have decided to take down the promotional material, in light of the public sentiment. This reflects the seriousness with which the concerns are being taken," he added.

On Thursday, the NHRC issued a notice to the I&B ministry after it received a complaint alleging that the film's title "promotes negative stereotypes" and "vilifies a recognised social group".