‘I was quite shocked…’: Malini Awasthi on ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ title controversy

LUCKNOW: Following the announcement of Manoj Bajpayee and Neeraj Pandey’s film ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ on February 3, the film faced a social media uproar, with many denouncing its title as “casteist” and “offensive”.

Reacting to the ongoing row, versatile folk singer Malini Awasthi said, “This matter came to my notice yesterday, and since I’m a fan of Neeraj Pandey and Manoj Bajpayee, I was quite shocked… I watched the teaser yesterday, and the language used in it didn’t feel like Neeraj Pandey’s style. It seemed like he was under some kind of pressure, and that’s why I tweeted asking if it was due to pressure from the streaming partner, Netflix, that forced them to choose such a propagandistic title… The film’s title could have been something else, but the way the word ‘Pandat’ was added to it, that hurt me…”

#WATCH | Lucknow | On ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ Web Series, Indian folk singer Malini Awasthi says, “This matter came to my notice yesterday, and since I’m a fan of Neeraj Pandey and Manoj Bajpayee, I was quite shocked… I watched the teaser yesterday, and the language used in it… pic.twitter.com/eonzjEA8As

— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2026

Earlier on Friday, Manoj Bajpayee and Neeraj Pandey posted on their respective Instagram accounts to apologise, confirming that all promotional materials had been removed from social media.

“When something you are part of causes hurt to some people, it makes you pause and listen,” he wrote, adding that his role focused on portraying “a flawed individual and his journey of self-realisation.”He underlined that the character-driven cop drama was not meant as a social or community statement.

Bajpayee also expressed confidence in filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, noting the director’s “consistent seriousness and care” in storytelling.

Director Neeraj Pandey clarified that the series is a fictional cop drama and that “Pandat” is used purely as a colloquial name for a fictional character. He said the story focuses on individual actions and choices, not caste or religion, and reiterated that the project was created with sincere intent to entertain. (ANI)