New Delhi, Feb 19 (NationPress) Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey has submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court indicating that the contentious title of his upcoming film, which was previously named 'Ghooskhor Pandat', has been “definitively withdrawn”. He assured that the film does not demean or target any religion or community.

Rejecting claims of offending religious sentiments, the producer stated: “I affirm categorically and without ambiguity that neither I nor my Production House intended to intentionally or maliciously offend the religious feelings of any segment of India's citizens.”

He further emphasized that the movie “does not insult or attempt to insult any religion, community, or the religious beliefs of any class of citizens in India, whether through language, visual representation, title, promotional materials, electronic means, or otherwise.”

In light of the objections raised following the teaser's release on February 3, the affidavit revealed that the promotional materials were retracted within days.

“After considering the concerns raised by the public, the deponent withdrew the promotional materials related to the film on February 6, 2026,” it stated, stressing that there was “never any intention to belittle any religion, caste, or community.”

The producer informed the Supreme Court that the disputed title will not be reused. “I respectfully assert that the earlier title, ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’, has been unequivocally withdrawn and will not be employed in any capacity,” the affidavit noted.

It further mentioned that any new title will be finalized “to avoid similarity to, or evoking the earlier title” and will accurately reflect the narrative without leading to unintended interpretations.

The affidavit clarified that the film is “a fictional police drama centered around a criminal investigation” and “does not depict any caste, religion, community, or sect as corrupt.”

The producer also noted that a similar writ petition raising related concerns had been filed earlier in the Delhi High Court. This court, in a ruling made on February 10, dismissed the petition after recording the statement that the title would be changed, remarking that nothing further required adjudication.

Pandey requested that the petition before the Supreme Court be resolved similarly.

This affidavit follows the Supreme Court's stern warning to filmmakers regarding the title 'Ghooskhor Pandat', stating that freedom of speech and expression should not be misused to denigrate any segment of society.

A Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan had issued a notice to the Centre, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), and the filmmaker, indicating that the film would not be authorized for release unless the title was modified.

“Freedom of speech and expression does not imply that one can portray a community negatively,” the apex court cautioned, noting that such terminology could disrupt social harmony, especially in a time of existing societal tensions.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Supreme Court claimed that the film’s title and storyline encourage caste- and religion-based stereotypes and offend the dignity and religious sentiments of the Brahmin community.

It argued that equating the caste identifier “Pandit” with “ghooskhor” (bribe-taker) creates a defamatory stereotype against a recognizable community, violating Articles 14, 19(2), 21, 25, and 51A(e) of the Constitution.

The petition, filed by Atul Mishra, National Organisation Secretary of the Brahman Samaj of India, through advocate Dr. Vinod Kumar Tewari, seeks a directive to prevent the film's release or screening in its current form.

In the last hearing, representing filmmaker Pandey, counsel confirmed that the trailer had been removed from social media platforms and that the film’s title was being revised. The Supreme Court subsequently directed the producer to file an affidavit documenting the actions taken, including the proposed title change.