Neeraj Pandey Issues Clarification Amid Ghooskhor Pandat Controversy

Mumbai, February 6 - Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey has released a statement addressing the ongoing controversy surrounding his upcoming project Ghooskhor Pandat, starring Manoj Bajpayee. The director clarified that the film is a fictional cop drama, and the term Pandat has been used purely as a colloquial name for a fictional character, without any intention to comment on or represent any caste, religion, or community.

In his statement, Pandey emphasised that the narrative focuses solely on an individual's actions and choices. He reiterated that, as a filmmaker, he approaches storytelling with a strong sense of responsibility and aims to create content that is both thoughtful and respectful, adding that the film has been made with sincere intent purely to entertain audiences.

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— Neeraj Pandey (@neerajpofficial) February 6, 2026

Acknowledging that the film's title has caused hurt to certain sections of viewers, Pandey said the team genuinely understands and respects these sentiments. In response to the concerns raised, the makers have decided to temporarily take down all promotional materials, stating that the film should be experienced in its entirety and understood in the proper narrative context rather than being judged through partial glimpses.

The controversy around Ghooskhor Pandat erupted soon after the film's title and promotional material surfaced online. A section of social media users and community groups objected to the use of the word Pandat in the title, alleging that it could be interpreted as a derogatory reference to a particular caste or community. They claimed that associating the term with corruption ("Ghooskhor") reinforces negative stereotypes.

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