A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court against Manoj Bajpayee's Ghooskhor Pandat seeking a stay on its release.
The petitioner argued that the film's title tarnished the dignity and reputation of the Brahmin community.
The petitioner stated that the film's release could lead to "collective defamation and hate speech" that would disturb communal harmony and public order.
Manoj Bajpayee and Neeraj Pandey have joined hands for a crime thriller, titled Ghooskhor Pandat. The film was announced at a recent Netflix event in Mumbai. Just hours after the teaser was unveiled, it faced backlash for the title. Several viewers took to social media to object to the use of the term 'Pandat' in the title, which they say has defamed the reputation of a particular community.
Ghooskhor Pandat has now landed in legal trouble as a petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court against the Netflix film, alleging that its title is derogatory towards the Brahmin community.
Petition filed against Ghooskhor Pandat
Advocate Vineet Jindal has filed the petition, seeking a stay on the release of Manoj Bajpayee's film, per NDTV.
According to the plea, the use of the term "Pandat" in the movie 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."
What the petitioner claimed
The plea alleged that the movie title and promotional material deliberately associate the term "Pandat" with corruption and bribery.
He has objected to the "communally offensive and defamatory nature" of the content, causing harm to the dignity and reputation of the Brahmin community.
The petitioner also stated that the Central government has a duty to regulate digital platforms and prevent the circulation of content that may disrupt social harmony.
Urges stay on release
Jain urged the HC to stay the film's release, stating that the release could lead to "collective defamation and hate speech" and could cause communal harmony and public order.
He also said that the content of the film violates Articles 14, 21, and 25 of the Constitution of India.
He further argued that the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) is not absolute and does not extend to hate speech, defamation, or content that undermines communal harmony, public order, and constitutional morality, as restricted under Article 19(2).
The petitioner appealed to the Centre to take appropriate action against Netflix.
The streamer is yet to respond to the legal suit.
About Ghooskhor Pandat
The official logline of the film reads: "A bent police officer, Ajay Dikshit (Pandat), plans an eventful and money-making night are disrupted as he finds himself in the midst of a global conspiracy while trying to unravel the identity of a badly injured girl thrown out of a moving car in the heart of Delhi."
Apart from Bajpayee, the thriller also stars Nushrat Bharuccha, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, and Divya Dutta.
