1 week ago
Gandhari Trailer Shows Taapsee’s Fight Amid Copyright Dispute
Gandhari is a movie about a mother named Bani who is searching for her kidnapped daughter, Mishty.
Mishty disappears during a train journey.
Bani gets badly hurt while trying to catch the person who took her.
After the injury, she cannot see properly or loses her eyesight, depending on how the trailer detail is described.
She still refuses to stop looking for her child.
The police discover that Mishty may be the third child kidnapped in Joypurra.
Bani uses a blindfold and fights to find the people responsible.
A writer says the movie is similar to a story he shared in 2019.
The filmmakers reject the accusation and say the story is original.
Gandhari is scheduled to stream on Netflix on September 3.
Taapsee Pannu plays Bani, a mother searching for her kidnapped daughter, Mishty.
Bani suffers a severe head injury while chasing the kidnapper and later loses her eyesight.
The search in Joypurra reveals Mishty is the third child abducted in the area, possibly linked to a trafficking ring.
Writer Kalyan Bandi alleges Gandhari resembles a story he pitched in 2019 and says he sent Netflix a legal notice.
Kanika Dhillon’s Kathha Pictures denies plagiarism, saying the film was independently written and developed.
- Who
- Taapsee Pannu plays Bani, while Ishwak Singh, Chhaya Kadam, Swastika Mukherjee, Mita Vashisht and Jatin Sarna are also in the cast; writer Kalyan Bandi has made the copyright allegation.
- What
- The Gandhari trailer shows a mother searching for her kidnapped daughter while the film faces allegations that its story resembles Bandi’s earlier work.
- Where
- The story includes a train journey and a search in Joypurra, and the film is scheduled to release on Netflix.
- When
- The trailer was released ahead of the film’s scheduled September 3 release; Bandi says he sent a legal notice last September.
- Why
- Bani searches for Mishty after her kidnapping, while Bandi says the film resembles a story he pitched in 2019.
Writer’s Allegation
Makers’ Denial
Similarity to an earlier story
Writer’s Allegation
Kalyan Bandi says Gandhari resembles a story titled Gandhari that he wrote and pitched in 2019 about a mother and the disappearance of young girls.
Makers’ Denial
Kathha Pictures says Gandhari is an original work independently developed by Kanika Dhillon.
Copyright claim
Writer’s Allegation
Bandi says he sent Netflix India content head Monika Shergill a legal notice alleging copyright infringement.
Makers’ Denial
Kathha Pictures denies the plagiarism allegations and asks media and audiences not to present them as proven claims.
Authorship and development
Writer’s Allegation
Bandi claims his story had been pitched to industry players and that a studio agreed to develop it as a theatrical project in late 2023.
Makers’ Denial
Kathha Pictures says Dhillon wrote and produced the film, including its story and screenplay.
Key facts
- Film
- Gandhari
- Lead actor
- Taapsee Pannu
- Protagonist
- Bani, a mother searching for Mishty
- Location in story
- Joypurra
- Streaming platform
- Netflix
- Scheduled release
- September 3
- Copyright claimant
- Writer Kalyan Bandi
- Production banner
- Kathha Pictures
Quotes
Kathha Pictures
Production banner led by writer-producer Kanika Dhillon
“She used to work with another streaming platform at the time. She asked me to send the story on her email ID, and I did that. In May, she told me that it wouldn't work for them and I was free to pitch it elsewhere.”
NDTV
“When I saw the title announcement, I reached out to Monika on LinkedIn again because my story is also of a mother and the disappearance of young girls, similar to Taapsee's film. I didn't get any response.”
NDTV










