Manoj Bajpayee’s upcoming film Ghooskhor Pandat has been making headlines even before its release, and for all the wrong reasons. The film has faced backlash for allegedly disrespecting a particular community through its title. Following widespread criticism, the promotional material was removed from the Internet and Netflix reportedly removed the trailer after receiving instructions from central authorities.. Now, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has also weighed in and heavily criticized the film.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, the UP deputy CM said, “The way people in the film industry are targeting Indian culture, and especially the Brahmin community, is highly reprehensible. These kinds of films should not be released to the public, and I strongly condemn them.”
FWICE issues warning to Ghooskhor Pandat makers
Meanwhile, the Federation of Western India Cinema Employees (FWICE) has also raised serious objections to the film’s title, warning that it could hurt community sentiments and disturb social harmony. FWICE addressed a letter to various industry bodies including Indian Movie Producers Association (IMPPA), Producers Guild of India (PGI), Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC), Western India Film and Television Producers Association (WIFPA), as well as OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5 and Sony Liv.
In its letter, FWICE stated, “The Federation of Western India Cinema Employees (FWICE), representing 36 affiliated associations and dozens of members including workers, technicians and artists of the media and entertainment industry, writes to you with serious concern regarding a controversial film produced under the title Ghuskhor Pandat by Mr. Neeraj Pandey under his banner Friday Filmworks.”
It further said: “FWICE and all its affiliated associations strongly oppose the use of this title as it appears to single out and target a particular community and its traditional livelihoods in a derogatory and offensive manner. Such a title has the potential to hurt sentiments, cause misunderstanding and disrupt social harmony.”
Emphasizing its stance, the body added: “FWICE strongly believes that there should be no division in the society on the basis of caste, creed, religion or profession. All professions are equally worthy and deserve respect. The film industry, being a powerful medium of expression, carries a moral and social responsibility to ensure that its content and titles do not promote hatred, disrespect or rest among citizens.”
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FWICE also appealed to producers to refrain from registering or continuing with film titles that are provocative in nature and capable of creating unrest among Indians, while condemning the title of Neeraj Pandey’s film.
The letter concluded with a warning: “Please note that if the necessary is not done immediately, FWICE will be forced to advise all its affiliated associations and its numerous members to distance themselves from any project of said producer.”
Protesters burn effigies of Neeraj Pandey-Manoj Bajpayee
Adding to the unrest, members of the Brahmin community organized protests in several cities, demanding a change in the film’s title. In BhopalAkhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj protesters were seen holding banners reading, “Iss film ka nirmata Neeraj Pandey murdabad”, “Netflix digital platform ko bandh karo, FIR karo” and “Iss film ka kalakaar Manoj Bajpayee murdabad”, among others.
Similarly, in Prayagraj, members of the Rashtriya Parshuram Sena protested by burning effigies of Neeraj Pandey and Manoj Bajpayee at Subhash Chowk in Civil Lines. Protesters were seen hitting the effigies with slippers, kicking them and finally setting them on fire, as hundreds of people attended.
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What sparked the controversy?
Soon after the makers released the teaser titled Ghooskhor Pandat, a FIR was registered at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow against the filmmakersalleging that the title hurts religious people and generates feelings. The complaint names Neeraj Pandey and members of his team.
On the other hand, Mahender Chaturvedi filed a writ petition before the Delhi The High Court requests a stay on the release of the Netflix film, claiming that the title is communally offensive.
The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) also issued a notice to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting after receiving a complaint stating that the title “promotes negative stereotypes” and “vilifies a recognized social group.”
The filmmakers have also been accused of failing to obtain mandatory permission for the film’s title. Film Makers Combine (FMC), a Bombay-grassroots organization, raised objections and sent a notice to the production house.
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Ghooskhor Pandat makers react to controversy
Responding to the backlash, Neeraj Pandey released a statement saying, “We understand that the title has hurt some viewers and we truly acknowledge those feelings.”
Manoj Bajpayee, meanwhile, adopted his official name
Defending the filmmaker, the actor added, “In my experience of working with Neeraj Pandey, there has been a constant seriousness and care in the way he approaches his films.”