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Neeraj Pandey issues statement on 'Ghooskhor Pandat,' takes down teaser
06 Feb 2026

Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey has issued a statement following the backlash against his upcoming production Ghooskhor Pandat.

The title of the movie was criticized for allegedly defaming the Brahmin community.

In his statement on Instagram, Pandey defended the title but also apologized for any hurt caused.

He revealed that all promotional material for the film has been taken down in light of these concerns.

'Pandat' doesn't refer to any community: Pandey
Statement

In the statement, Pandey clarified, "Our film is a fictional cop drama, and the term 'Pandat' is used simply as a colloquial name for a fictional character."

"The story focuses on an individual's actions and choices and does not comment on or represent any caste, religion, or community."

"As a filmmaker, I approach my work with a deep sense of responsibility - to tell stories that are thoughtful and respectful," he wrote.

We acknowledge those feelings: Pandey
Acknowledgment

Pandey added, "We understand that the title of the film has caused hurt to some viewers, and we genuinely acknowledge those feelings."

He added that all promotional materials for Ghooskhor Pandat have been taken down temporarily.

"In light of these concerns, we have decided to take down all promotional materials 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."

Everything to know about the film
Teaser removal

As of now, the first look teaser of Ghooskhor Pandat has been removed from Netflix India's social media handles, including on YouTube.

The movie stars Manoj Bajpayee alongside Nushrratt Bharuccha, Akshay Oberoi, Saqib Saleem, and Divya Dutta.

Written by Pandey and Ritesh Shah, it is Shah's directorial debut.

The movie is set to premiere on Netflix later this year with no confirmed release date yet.