Now Reading: Netflix dismisses plagiarism claim on Taapsee Pannu’s Gandhari
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Netflix dismisses plagiarism claim on Taapsee Pannu’s Gandhari
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,…
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: 5 sources, 5 neutral
Sources (5): bollywoodhungama.com (neutral report), bollywoodhungama.com (2) (neutral report), hindustantimes.com (neutral report), hindustantimes.com (2) (neutral report), ndtv.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry.
