Taapsee Pannu’s Gandhari Faces Copyright Controversy Ahead of Netflix Release

Indian actress Taapsee Pannu is gearing herself for her upcoming Netflix thriller project Gandhari. With just days remaining before its September 3 premiere, the film has found itself at the centre of a copyright controversy.

Gandhari face writer Kalyan Bandi’s claim that, in 2019 he wrote and registered the similar story already. The film’s makers have dismissed the claim, and maintained that Kanika Dhillon wrote the film as an original story.

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As reported by India Today, Gandi says his story Gandhari centred on a mother determined to rescue her child from a child-trafficking network, who studied at IIT Madras and works as an Inspector in the Central GST and Customs department. According to him, the mother becomes fierce and determined while trying to save her child.

The film writer says he first contacted Monika Shergill in 2019, when she was allied with Voot. He first communicated her over LinkedIn before sharing an eight-page story and a two-page synopsis with her. According to the writer, his material was acknowledged, but he was later told that the concept did not fit the company’s plans at that time.

Bandi says he later registered the story with the Screenwriters Association and nonstop working on it. In 2023, he also contacted Baweja Studios and acquiesced the concept to JioHotstar.

After Netflix announced Gandhari in 2025, According to Bandi, he became concerned about similarities between the film and his earlier story He eventually sent a legal notice seeking around ₹40 lakh in compensation and credit, but said his main goal was to have his work acknowledged.

Kanika Dhillon’s production house, Kathha Pictures, has rejected the allegations, calling them baseless. The makers said Gandhari is an original work written and produced by Dhillon.

Gandhari centres on Bani, a mother determined to protect her child despite the challenges she faces in direction of Devashish Makhija, with other cast including Ishwak Singh, Chhaya Kadam, Swastika Mukherjee, Mita Vashisht and Jatin Sarna.

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This marks Taapsee Pannu and Kanika Dhillon’s fourth collaboration,scheduled to premiere on Netflix on September 3.