- A film body has called for a ban on Ghooskhor Pandat over its title's alleged defamation of Brahmins
- The film's title translates roughly to corrupt Brahmin or pandit, sparking community backlash
- FWICE President BN Tiwari demands a title change and complete overhaul of the film's content
Days after the makers of Ghooskhor Pandat, starring Manoj Bajpayee, took down all the promotional content related to the film, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has called for a ban on the Netflix movie.
Ghooskhor Pandat, directed by Neeraj Pandey, is in the eye of the storm for its "defamatory" title which allegedly disgraces the Brahmin community. In English, the title roughly translates to "a corrupt Brahmin/pandit".
FWICE President BN Tiwari also told NDTV that the makers need to do a complete overhaul when it comes to Ghooskhor Pandat.
"We want the title of the film Ghooskhor Pandat to be changed, but I feel the movie is the story of a Pandat. This is an attempt to disgrace a community. Until films like these are not shown to the Censor Board or concerned authorities, they should be banned immediately. I will also send a letter to the producer and the director.
"It is not enough to just change the title, such subjects should be banned altogether. Otherwise we'll issue a non-cooperation notice against the producer and the director. Such films are harmful for society. It's better to stop these films right at the outset. The times have changed, the films should too," BN Tiwari told NDTV.
After a petition was filed in the Delhi High Court against the film last week, both the director and lead actor clarified that Ghookhor Pandat doesn't represent any particular community and is a fictional cop drama.
According to the plea, the use of the term "Pandat" in the title and content amounts to collective defamation, as it "deliberately associates a well-recognised religious and social designation with corruption and bribery, thereby maligning and lowering the reputation of an entire community in the eyes of the public."
A case was also registered at Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow against the Ghooskhor Pandat director and his team "under charges of attempting to disrupt social harmony". The Centre too ordered the makers to take down promotional materials of the film.
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