Mumbai, Feb 6 Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey has issued a statement on social media after the title of his forthcoming drama, "Ghooskhor Pandat", garnered some massive backlash.
The film announced by Netflix during the grand event 'Next on Netflix' made headlines as the title of the project was found to be defamatory to the Brahmin community by many.
In his latest post, Neeraj Pandey has explained that the term "Pandat" is used as a colloquial name for a fictional character, and it does not represent any particular caste, religion, or community.
His social media post went like this, "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.(sic)"
Nevertheless, he apologised for any 'hurt' caused because of the title. The producer and co-writer of the movie further informed that they have decided to take down any promotional material related to the drama for now.
"This film, like my earlier work, has been created with sincere intent and solely to entertain audiences. We understand that the title of the film has caused hurt to some viewers, and we genuinely acknowledge those feelings. 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, rather than judged on partial glimpses. I look forward to sharing the film with audiences soon", he added.
Along with Manoj Bajpayee as the lead, "Ghooskhor Pandat" further stars Nushrat Bharuccha, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, and Divya Dutta in crucial roles.
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