Mumbai, February 7: A fresh controversy has emerged in Bollywood regarding the title of the upcoming film ‘Ghooskhore Pandit,’ starring Manoj Bajpayee. The film is facing significant backlash from the Brahmin community, who allege that the title is offensive and hurts their sentiments.
Directed by Neeraj Pandey, the film tells the story of a corrupt police officer known as ‘Ghooskhore Pandit.’ Critics argue that the title targets a specific community, leading to widespread protests.
This is not the first time a film title or theme has sparked controversy. Numerous films have faced protests, legal notices, and censorship, forcing producers to change titles.
For instance, the romantic drama ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha,’ directed by Sameer Vidwans, starred Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani. The film, which revolves around a simple boy and his girlfriend, was originally titled ‘Satyanarayan Ki Katha.’ The title was changed after accusations of hurting religious sentiments. It was released in 2023.
Similarly, the horror-comedy ‘Laxmii,’ directed by Raghava Lawrence and featuring Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani, faced backlash over its original title ‘Laxmii Bomb.’ The film’s storyline involves a man haunted by a transgender ghost. Following protests linking the term ‘Bomb’ to the goddess Laxmi, the title was simplified to just ‘Laxmii.’
In the film ‘Thank God,’ directed by Indra Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Siddharth Malhotra, and Rakul Preet Singh play lead roles. The plot centers on an ordinary man who meets Lord Chitragupt in heaven. After facing accusations of mocking Hindu deities, the character’s name was changed from Chitragupt to ‘CG’ in the 2022 release.
The romantic film ‘Loveratri,’ directed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Salman Khan, debuted Ayush Sharma and Warina Hussain. Set against the backdrop of Navratri, it tells the love story of a young couple. The original title ‘Loveratri’ faced protests due to its similarity to Navratri, prompting the filmmakers to rename it ‘Luvyatri’ in 2018.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama ‘Padmaavat,’ released in 2018, starred Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Shahid Kapoor. Based on the story of Rani Padmavati, it depicted the invasion by Alauddin Khilji. Originally titled ‘Padmavati,’ the film was renamed ‘Padmaavat’ after protests claiming historical distortion and emotional distress.
Another Bhansali film, ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela,’ released in 2013, featured Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. Inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, it tells the love story of two feuding Gujarati families. Initially named ‘Ram-Leela,’ the title was changed after complaints of hurting religious sentiments.
This ongoing trend highlights the sensitive nature of film titles in India and the potential for backlash from various communities.
