In February, when Netflix announced its 2026 slate, one of its projects drew attention for all the wrong reasons. An FIR was filed against the makers of Manoj Bajpayee ’s Ghooskhor Pandat over its title. The film has now been renamed Gajab Raat, with Netflix releasing its trailer and announcing its release date.
Helmed by Neeraj Pandey, the film marks his reunion with Manoj Bajpayee after almost a decade. It also stars Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, Divya Dutta, Kiku Sharda and Nushrratt Bharuccha. It is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on October 23.
The film has been described as “a tense, character-driven thriller where loyalties are tested, and every decision carries a price”.
All about the controversy surrounding the film’s title
In February, after Netflix announced Ghooskhor Pandat (now titled Gajab Raat), the name became the subject of widespread criticism. The trailer features Manoj Bajpayee as a police officer torn between personal gain and doing what he believes is right. He is seen investigating a case involving a young girl who is thrown out of a car in a serious condition and later fights for her life in hospital. Unfolding over the course of a single night, the story centres on the officer’s dilemma as he weighs doing the right thing against manipulating the case for his own benefit. One decision could change the course of the investigation and everything that follows. The trailer also offers glimpses of the characters played by Divya Dutta, Nushrratt Bharuccha and Akshay Oberoi. The controversy centred on the combination of the words ‘Ghooskhor’, meaning someone who takes bribes, and ‘Pandat’, a colloquial spelling of ‘Pandit’, a term associated with Brahmins and religious scholars. Several people objected to the title, arguing that it linked the Brahmin community with corruption. They alleged that it was derogatory, promoted caste-based stereotyping and hurt the sentiments of the religious community. The backlash prompted the makers to withdraw the promotional material and agree to rename the project. The matter eventually reached the courts. Amid the criticism, director Neeraj Pandey issued a statement acknowledging that the title had hurt some viewers. He maintained that the project was a fictional cop drama and that ‘Pandat’ was intended as the colloquial name of a fictional character, rather than a reference to any particular community. He added that the story focused on an individual’s actions and choices and did not comment on or represent any caste, religion or community. The controversy took a legal turn when the Uttar Pradesh government ordered an FIR against the film’s makers over the disputed title. An FIR was registered at Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station amid allegations that the title hurt caste and religious sentiments. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) also objected to the title, arguing that provocative film titles could hurt sentiments and create social discord. Petitions seeking to prevent the film’s release were subsequently filed in the Delhi High Court.
