Controversy engulfs Netflix’s ‘Ghusakhor Pandit’ as its provocative title offends Brahmin sentiments by linking bribery to priesthood. Protests, lawsuits, and FIRs have defined the pre-release phase.
Delhi High Court saw urgent petitions, Lucknow police filed charges, and cities like Bhopal witnessed rallies against the show. Manoj Bajpayee, the lead, broke his silence on X by endorsing director Neeraj Pandey’s words.
‘I take people’s emotions and apprehensions to heart with utmost respect,’ Bajpayee posted. Offense from a project urges listening and rethinking, he added. His role embodies a flawed soul’s enlightenment, not group critique.
Drawing from years working with Pandey, Bajpayee affirmed the team’s care. Responding to outrage, all marketing assets are now offline.
Post-Netflix preview event, backlash exploded over the title’s implications. Legal volleys from Mumbai, judicial interventions, and public outcry followed suit. Ban calls echoed nationwide.
Pandey stressed the drama’s invented world, with ‘Pandit’ as casual nomenclature. Though unintended, the hurt prompted a promo blackout. Bajpayee’s statement seeks bridge-building, amid broader discussions on titles’ power to provoke in a polarized era. As the series awaits release, it exemplifies cinema’s cultural flashpoints.