10 February,2026 04:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ghooskhor Pandat
Manoj Bajpayee and the makers of his forthcoming Netflix drama Ghooskhor Pandat received a major relief after the Delhi High Court dismissed the petition seeking a ban on the release of the film. Notably, the decision comes after the producers of the film, including streaming platform Netflix, informed the Delhi High Court that they are going to change the name of the movie.
The decision of the producers was informed before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, who was dealing with a petition that sought a stay on the release of the film due to its 'offensive' and 'defamatory' title.
"The producer has taken a conscious decision in light of the concern that has arisen to change the title of the film from Ghooskhor Pandat to an alternate title which more accurately reflects the film's narrative and intent," recorded Justice Kaurav. Netflix's senior counsel further added that the film, which is in editing stage, is a purely fictional police drama, and the title gave rise to "unintended interruptions" which did not align with the film's content.
They also informed the court that all promotional material has also been taken down. In view of the decision taken by Netflix, the court closed the proceedings on the petition, observing that "nothing more was required to be adjudicated".
Netflix's announcement of the film, directed by filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, earlier this month sparked a storm on social media, with many users terming the title 'casteist' and offensive.
A massive row erupted after social media users criticised the title of the film, calling it derogatory towards the Brahmin community. Apart from this, multiple FIRs were filed seeking a ban on the release of the project.
A writ petition filed in the Delhi High Court challenged the show's proposed release, claiming that its title and promotional content are defamatory and communally sensitive. Parallelly, political protests have erupted in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with members of Brahmin organisations demanding a ban and accusing the project of targeting a particular community. In Uttar Pradesh, an FIR has been registered against the director, and effigies of the filmmakers and Bajpayee have been burnt at several locations.
(With inputs from agencies)
