New Delhi/Mumbai, Feb 6: The promotional campaign for the Hindi film “Ghooskhor Pandat” has been halted by producers after the title sparked widespread outrage. Lead actor Manoj Bajpayee and producer Neeraj Pandey issued statements of clarification on Friday, confirming that all existing publicity material is being taken down from the internet.
The controversy escalated quickly after the teaser was unveiled at a recent event, leading to an FIR in Lucknow. The state authorities have highlighted that the move aims to prevent the spread of social animosity and maintain harmony across different segments of society.
“When something you are part of causes hurt, it makes you pause and listen,” shared Manoj Bajpayee. He noted that the film was never intended to be a statement about any community but was rather a character study of a police officer caught in a conspiracy.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also took notice of the matter, issuing a notice to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This followed complaints alleging that the film’s title reinforced harmful stereotypes against a recognized social group.
While the filmmakers have paused the promotional rollout, they have asked the audience to view the film in its entirety once released to understand the full context of the story. The administration continues to monitor the situation to ensure that the promotional content is removed from all digital platforms as requested.
