'Ghooskhor Pandat' title change: Why it was necessary
The upcoming film Ghooskhor Pandat, starring Manoj Bajpayee and directed by Neeraj Pandey, is changing its title after backlash from the Brahmin community.
A petition seeking a stay was heard by the Delhi High Court after a claimant alleged the original name defamed Brahmins; the court recorded Netflix's submission that the producers would change the title, noted promotional material had been taken down, and closed the proceedings without granting a stay.
Netflix's stand on the matter
Netflix, distributing the movie, told the court that a new title will better match the story and avoid misunderstandings.
Netflix's counsel said the old title caused "unintended interruptions" with its meaning.
The petition was filed by Acharya Mahender Chaturvedi, who wanted to stop the release.
Protests against the film
An FIR in Uttar Pradesh and protests in Madhya Pradesh argued that calling someone "Pandat" (a term for Brahmins) in connection with corruption was offensive.
The movie is still in editing, and all promos have been pulled by the makers.
FWICE demands to see the film
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) says just changing the name isn't enough—they want to see the film before it comes out.
FWICE president BN Tiwari also pointed out that filmmakers skipped some official registrations.