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Actress Taapsee Pannu’s upcoming Netflix film Gandhari has found itself entangled in a major copyright controversy just days before its grand worldwide premiere. Writer Kalyan Bandi, an alumnus of IIT Madras who works as an inspector with Central GST and Customs, has publicly alleged that the film’s core storyline and title closely mirror a concept he penned and registered back in 2019. Bandi claimed that his original script revolved around a courageous mother who takes on a fierce, goddess-like avatar to rescue her child from a dangerous child-trafficking network. He further revealed that he had originally pitched his eight-page story and two-page synopsis to industry executives, including Monika Shergill, via LinkedIn years ago before learning about Netflix’s official project announcement, which left him deeply shocked. Asserting that the specific connection between the title Gandhari and the child-rescue concept originated from his personal creative vision, Bandi stated that he sent a legal notice in September 2025 seeking official acknowledgment and credit rather than monetary gain. In addition to Bandi’s claims, Mumbai-based writer Raghav Desai also stepped forward alleging that he had pitched a strikingly similar Mahabharata-inspired novella and script to the makers in 2024.
In response to the mounting public scrutiny, writer-producer Kanika Dhillon’s banner, Kathha Pictures, issued an official statement firmly refuting all allegations of plagiarism and intellectual property theft. The production house unequivocally denied the claims circulating on social media and across media platforms, asserting that Gandhari is an entirely original creation independently written, developed, and produced by Kanika Dhillon. Kathha Pictures urged news outlets, digital platforms, and members of the public to treat the accusations as completely unverified and false, requesting everyone to refrain from treating these allegations as established facts. Additionally, Netflix Original Films executives and Kanika Dhillon addressed the controversy during a recent trailer launch event, clarifying that while they respect the sentiments of independent writers, Dhillon has never met Bandi nor read his work, maintaining that the complete film will clearly demonstrate its unique and original narrative once it releases.
Directed by Devashish Makhija, Gandhari features Taapsee Pannu alongside Ishwak Singh, Jatin Sarna, Swastika Mukherjee, and Mita Vashisht in key roles. The action-thriller marks another high-profile collaboration between Taapsee Pannu and Kanika Dhillon following their hit joint ventures like Haseen Dillruba and Manmarziyaan. Despite the ongoing legal controversy and online debate surrounding script origins, the makers remain focused on their upcoming schedule, with the film slated to release globally on Netflix on September 3, 2026. Fans and industry watchers are keenly awaiting the film’s release to see how this high-octane mother-daughter rescue story unfolds on screen.
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