UP govt orders FIR against ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ for hurting religious sentiment

Lucknow: Taking cognisance of social media posts and protests, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday ordered for registration of an FIR against the director and the creative team of Netflix’s upcoming film Ghooskhor Pandat.

According to police sources, a case was registered at the Hazratganj police station here charging the director and other members of the creative team of the film with promoting hatred among communities, hurting religious sentiments and caste insult.

Sources said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered for the registration of the FIR against the movie, whose teaser was released a few days back.

Police said Hazratganj SHO Vikram Singh lodged the FIR after some scenes of the film, which went viral on social media platforms, were found to have objectionable caste based and religious comments.

‘’The content may hurt the sentiments of a section of the society and also affect social harmony,’’ said a police official here.

Sources said the director and other members of the creative team of the film were charged under sections 196 (promoting enmity between different  groups based on religion, race, caste), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class of citizens), 352 (apprehension of breach of peace)  of the BNS and section 66 of the IT Act.

The police termed the action against the movie as part of the ‘zero tolerance’ policy of the state government.

The teaser of the film triggered a huge controversy with the ‘brahmin’ community members taking to the streets at several places in the country demanding a ban on the movie.

BSP supremo Mayawati said such content conveyed a wrong message to the society and affected social amity. In a post on ‘X’, she demanded intervention of the union government and sought a review of the content of the film.