# Netflix dismisses plagiarism claim on Taapsee Pannu’s Gandhari

2026-08-27T06:18:02+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets (5 source reports)

Netflix India has denied plagiarism allegations against its upcoming film Gandhari, starring Taapsee Pannu. Writer Kalyan Bandi claims he pitched a story with the same title to a Netflix executive in 2019, and that the film resembles his concept about a mother rescuing her child from traffickers. At the trailer launch on Tuesday, Netflix India's Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh said the pitch in question is "very different" from the film, and urged audiences to watch it. Bandi, an IIT Madras alumnus and GST inspector, says he sent a legal notice to Netflix in September 2025 seeking Rs 40 lakh compensation and credit, but did not pursue legal action due to costs. Kanika Dhillon's production house Kathha Pictures has called the allegations false, stating Gandhari is an original work written by Dhillon. The film releases on Netflix on September 3.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All sources report Netflix India's denial of plagiarism claims and writer Kalyan Bandi's counter-claims for Gandhari, with uniform straight-reporting framing. No source takes an editorial stance. Bandi's account, pitching to a Netflix executive in 2019, receiving rejection, then seeing a similar film greenlit, and Netflix's statement that the pitch was 'very different' are presented without judgement. The balanced reading is that both sides assert their position without public documentary evidence. The real test is the film's September 3 release, which may resolve or intensify the dispute.

## Coverage

Coverage: 5 sources, 5 neutral
- bollywoodhungama.com (neutral report) <https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/ruchikaa-kapoor-sheikh-reveals-netflixs-pathbreaking-thumb-rule-for-success-if-a-film-works-dont-make-another-one-like-it-explains-why-she-doesnt-want-t/>
  Neutral reporting of Netflix denial and Bandi's claims without editorial comment
- bollywoodhungama.com (2) (neutral report) <https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/gandhari-plagiarism-row-netflix-breaks-silence-after-legal-notice-says-the-pitch-in-question-is-very-different-we-take-originality-very-seriously/>
  Neutral reporting of the plagiarism row and Netflix's response
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/taapsee-pannu-netflix-gandhari-lands-in-copyright-controversy-as-kanika-dhillon-production-house-denies-claims-101787622785370.html>
  Neutral reporting of Bandi's claims and makers' denial
- hindustantimes.com (2) (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/netflix-ruchikaa-kapoor-dismisses-writer-claim-of-gandhari-script-being-stolen-kanika-dhillon-taapsee-pannu-kalyan-bandi-101787720819271.html>
  Neutral reporting of Netflix dismissal and Bandi's account
- ndtv.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/netflixs-ruchikaa-kapoor-dismisses-plagiarism-claims-against-taapsee-pannu-led-gandhari-11960844>
  Neutral reporting of controversy and Netflix statement

This brief was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry.

Tags: Gandhari, Kalyan Bandi, Kanika Dhillon, Netflix India, Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Taapsee Pannu
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Cite: https://indianopinion.org/netflix-dismisses-plagiarism-claim-on-taapsee-pannus-gandhari/#story-in-brief

How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/