4 minutes of readingNew DelhiUpdated: February 6, 2026 02:27 pm IST
The streaming giant Netflix released his 2026 roster for his Indian fans earlier this week, and one of its titles attracted negative attention almost instantly. Director Neeraj Panday’s crime thriller Ghooskhor Pandat, starring Manoj Bajpayee, immediately attracted legal complications as many claimed that the title vilified the Brahmin community. A lot of legal chaos has already ensued, and after Neeraj Pandey, lead actor Manoj Bajpayee broke his silence on the entire matter.
Why the row over the title?
The use of the word pandat, who is associated with the Brahmin community or a priest, a religious scholar, with ghooskhor (someone who accepts bribes) has raised boos. According to the legal notice, the title affects the dignity of the Brahmin community and hurts sentiments. The notice demands immediate withdrawal of the title Ghooskhor Pandat, calling it defamatory, unconstitutional and socially inflammatory.
Manoj Bajpayee on Ghooskhor Pandat row
Bajpayee took to his Instagram account and addressed the delicate situation. He wrote: “I respect the emotions and concerns that people have shared and take them seriously. When something you are a part of causes harm to some people, it makes you stop and listen. As an actor, I come to a film through the character and story I am playing. For me, it was about portraying an imperfect individual and his journey of self-realization. It was not intended to be a statement about any community.”
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(Photo: Instagram/Manoj Bajpayee)
The actor defended his director and said, “In my experience of working with Neeraj Pandey, there has been consistent seriousness and care in the way he approaches his films. The makers have decided to withdraw the promotional material in the light of public sentiment. This shows how seriously the concerns are being taken.”
Neeraj Pandey apologizes and removes teaser
Before Bajpayee, Neeraj himself dedicated himself to social networks and decided to apologize for hurting feelings. He wrote on Instagram that “Our film is a fictional police drama, and the term ‘Pandat’ is simply used as a colloquial name for a fictional character. The story focuses on the actions and choices of an individual and does not comment on or represent any caste, religion or community… We understand that the title of the film has caused harm to some viewers, and we truly acknowledge those sentiments.”
He added: “In light of these concerns, we have decided to remove all promotional material 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 by partial glimpses. We look forward to sharing the film with audiences soon.”
Legal action against the film and director Neeraj Pandey
According to an ANI report, Neeraj Pandey and his team have been named in an FIR lodged at the Hazratganj police station. Lucknow. The creators are being attacked over the title, with complainants claiming that it “represents religion and caste sentiments.” The teaser of the film suggests that the protagonist, played by Manoj, is a corrupt cop. This does not sit well with many people who claim that this creates an unnecessary correlation between a certain caste and corruption or other vices.
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A written petition has also been filed with the Delhi High Court, demanding a stay on the film’s release. The legal problems and red tape do not end there, as the filmmakers also have to deal with complaints to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and accusations from the Film Makers Combine.
The first problem is the result of a letter sent by the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) to the Ministry of I&B. The complaint suggests that the film promotes “negative stereotypes” and ignores the complexities of India’s “social fabric.”