Netflix told the Delhi High Court on Tuesday that the Manoj Bajpayee-starrer film “Ghooskhor Pandat” will be renamed. The statement was made before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav who was hearing the plea challenging the proposed release of the film. The Court noted that the producer has taken a “conscious decision” in light of the concern that has arisen to change the title of the...
Netflix told the Delhi High Court on Tuesday that the Manoj Bajpayee-starrer film “Ghooskhor Pandat” will be renamed.
The statement was made before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav who was hearing the plea challenging the proposed release of the film.
The Court noted that the producer has taken a “conscious decision” in light of the concern that has arisen to change the title of the film from 'Ghooskhor Pandat' to an alternate title which more accurately reflects the film's narrative and intent.
Justice Kaurav was informed that all promotional material of the movie has also been taken down.
Accordingly, the Court disposed of the plea, noting that nothing more was required to be adjudicated.
Filed by one Mahender Chaturvedi, who claims to be an Acharya by vocation, the plea alleged that the title and promotional material of the show are defamatory, communally offensive and violative of fundamental rights.
According to the petition, Netflix India had announced and promoted the show “Ghooskhor Pandat”, associating the term “Pandat” with corruption and bribery.
The plea contended that the term “Pandat” is historically, culturally and religiously linked with the Brahmin community and Acharyas, symbolising scholarship, moral authority and spiritual guidance.
“The petitioner, being a public- spirited citizen and acharya, took serious objection to the communally offensive and defamatory nature of the impugned content, apprehending large-scale harm to dignity and reputation of the Brahmin community,” the plea stated.
“The Petitioner noted the absence of any effective regulatory intervention by Respondent No. I despite the impending release of the impugned show. The Petitioner formed a bona fide belief that the release of the said show would amount to coll ective defamation, hate speech, and would disturb communal harmony and public order,” it added.
As per the petition, the title and proposed content of the show amount to collective defamation, stereotyping, and vilification of an entire religious and social community, and would cause irreversible harm to the dignity and reputation of Acharyas and the Brahmin community at large.
The plea also alleged failure on the part of the Union Government to establish an effective regulatory mechanism to prevent misuse of creative freedom on OTT platforms, contending that such regulatory vacuum enables sensationalism and community-based vilification for commercial gain.
Title: Mahender Chaturvedi v. Union ofIndia & Ors