New Delhi, Feb 19 (NationPress) The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition opposing the upcoming film previously named 'Ghooskhor Pandat' after filmmaker Neeraj Pandey informed the court that the contentious title and all associated promotional materials had been retracted.

A panel of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan acknowledged an affidavit submitted by Pandey, assuring that the disputed title would not be utilized “in any form” and that all promotional content featuring the former name had been eliminated.

In light of these developments, Justice Nagarathna's panel concluded the proceedings, stating that no additional instructions were necessary on the issue.

During the session, the filmmakers' counsel asserted that the title had already been revoked, suggesting that the controversy surrounding the film should now conclude.

The highest court remarked that since the commitment had been made and accepted, no new criminal actions should be initiated concerning the contested title.

Concluding the petition, the Supreme Court indicated that the controversy related to the film's title should now be regarded as settled.

The public interest litigation (PIL) presented to the court claimed that the film’s title and narrative fostered caste- and religion-based stereotypes, undermining the dignity of the Brahmin community.

The petition argued that linking the caste identifier “Pandit” with the term “ghooskhor” (bribe-taker) propagated a defamatory stereotype against a specific community and infringed upon constitutional protections outlined in Articles 14, 19(2), 21, 25, and 51A(e).

Following the Supreme Court’s strong remarks, filmmaker Neeraj Pandey submitted an affidavit to the court, confirming that the controversial title had been “unequivocally withdrawn” and asserting that the film does not insult or target any religion or community.

Last week, the Supreme Court criticized the filmmakers regarding the title “Ghooskhor Pandat,” emphasizing that freedom of speech and expression should not be used as an excuse to belittle a segment of society.

The Justice Nagarathna-led panel had issued notices to the Centre, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), and the filmmaker, indicating that the film would not be allowed to release unless the title was altered.

“Freedom of speech and expression does not allow for portraying a community negatively,” the apex court remarked, warning that such terminology could disrupt social harmony in a time of existing societal tensions.

In a related case, the Delhi High Court recently dismissed a similar plea requesting a stay on the film's release after Netflix announced it would change the title and had removed all promotional content featuring the earlier name from social media.

Accepting this statement, a single-judge bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav of the Delhi High Court noted that no further directions were necessary, given the stance taken by the streaming platform.