Ghooskhor Pandat row sparks outrage as protesters burn effigies of Manoj Bajpayee, Neeraj Pandey

Protests against Neeraj Pandey’s upcoming film Ghooskhor Pandat intensified on Friday, spilling onto the streets in several cities over allegations that the film’s title insults the Brahmin community.

Demonstrators burnt effigies of producer Neeraj Pandey and lead actor Manoj Bajpayee, demanding an immediate ban on the film and action against its makers. The controversy centres on the use of the word ‘ghooskhor’ (corrupt) alongside Pandat, a colloquial term commonly associated with Brahmins or Hindu priests. Protesters have alleged that the title links corruption with a specific community.

Protests in Prayagraj and Indore

In Prayagraj, protesters gathered at Subhash Chowk and burnt effigies of Neeraj Pandey, director Ritesh Shah and the film’s cast. They also demanded a ban on Netflix, the platform where the film is slated to release, accusing the makers of deliberately targeting Hindus and Brahmins.

In Indore, members of the Brahmin community, under the banner of the Parshuram Sena, staged a similar protest, burning effigies of Netflix and Manoj Bajpayee. Protesters threatened to blacken the faces of Bajpayee and Pandey if the film was not withdrawn.

“We oppose this film and demand that it be banned. Otherwise, Manoj Bajpayee and Neeraj Pandey will have their faces blackened,” a protester said, calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central Board of Film Certification to intervene.

Makers Respond, FIR Filed

Ghooskhor Pandat is a thriller starring Manoj Bajpayee as a corrupt police officer nicknamed ‘Pandat’. Amid the backlash, Neeraj Pandey issued a statement clarifying that the film is not aimed at any community. He also announced that all promotional material, including the first-look teaser, was being taken down.

The Bharatiya Janata Party later claimed that the promotional content was removed following directions from the Centre.

Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered against the film’s makers in Lucknow for allegedly hurting religious and caste sentiments. The BJP has welcomed the filing of the FIR. The film was scheduled to release on Netflix later this year, though an official release date has not yet been announced.