Gandhari film faces plagiarism allegations ahead of Netflix release

The upcoming Netflix film ‘Gandhari’, starring Taapsee Pannu, is facing plagiarism allegations ahead of its scheduled September 3 premiere. An independent writer, Kalyan Bandi, claims the film’s title and core concept were taken from a story he wrote and registered in 2019. Bandi, an IIT Madras alumnus, stated his story focused on a mother fighting a child-trafficking network and noted he had previously pitched the idea to digital executives.

In response, the film’s production house, Kathha Pictures, has unequivocally denied the claims. The makers released a statement asserting that ‘Gandhari’ is an original work written and produced by Kanika Dhillon. They characterized the allegations as “unverified and false” and requested that the media and public refrain from treating them as established facts.

Directed by Devashish Makhija, the action thriller is set in the fictional town of Joypurra. The film follows a mother’s relentless pursuit to rescue her daughter, a role that draws thematic inspiration from the mythological figure Gandhari of the Mahabharata.