Taapsee Pannu’s Film Faces Controversy Before Release

Taapsee Pannu’s upcoming film ‘Gandhari’ has landed in controversy even before its release. The Netflix film follows the story of a mother who sets out to find her daughter after she is kidnapped. However, writer Kalyan Bandi has alleged that the film’s title and storyline resemble his work. He claims that he wrote a story titled ‘Gandhari’ in 2019 and registered it with the Screenwriters Association. According to him, the story revolves around a mother’s struggle to rescue her child from a child trafficking gang. He also said that he had shared his story with Voot, Harman Baweja Studios and JioHotstar at the time. Kalyan stated that he noticed similarities after seeing the announcement of ‘Gandhari’ in 2025.

Kalyan said he sent a legal notice alleging that his story was used without permission and sought compensation of around ₹40 lakh. However, he clarified that receiving recognition and credit for his work is more important to him than the money. Meanwhile, Katha Pictures has denied the allegations, stating that ‘Gandhari’ is a completely independent and original story written by Kanika Dhillon, who also penned the screenplay. The controversy has generated interest in the film even before its release. The extent of similarities between the two stories and the validity of the claims over the title are now being debated, with further clarity expected once supporting evidence emerges.