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Netflix has addressed the plagiarism allegations surrounding Taapsee Pannu's upcoming film Gandhari, after writer Kalyan Bandi claimed that the project bears similarities to a story he had written and registered in 2019. At the film's trailer launch in Mumbai, Netflix India executive Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh said the pitch in question was “very different” from Kanika Dhillon and Taapsee Pannu's film.

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Netflix Responds To Gandhari Plagiarism Allegations

Speaking at the trailer launch, Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Director, Original Films, Netflix India, was asked about Bandi's claims against the film and its association with Netflix executive Monika Shergill.

She said, “At Netflix, we take originality and artistic attribution very seriously. We receive multiple pitches and the pitch in question is very different from Kanika Dhillon and Taapsee Pannu's Gandhari. I won't make any other assumptions. Please watch the film.”

Ruchikaa also reiterated Netflix's position on original storytelling, saying, “We are always committed to the originality of our storytellers, be it someone who's on a streak of 5 or 6 films or if this is their first film. So, at Netflix, we are very clear on that stand.”

What Has Kalyan Bandi Claimed?

Writer Kalyan Bandi has alleged that he developed a story titled Gandhari in 2019 and registered both the story and synopsis. According to his account, the narrative focused on a mother who takes on the persona of a fierce goddess while trying to save her child from a child-trafficking racket.

Bandi, an IIT Madras alumnus who works as an Inspector with the Central GST and Customs department, said he first contacted Monika Shergill on LinkedIn in 2019, when she was associated with Voot. He claimed he subsequently shared an eight-page story and a two-page synopsis with her.

He said the material was acknowledged but was later deemed unsuitable for the company's commissioning slate at the time.

Bandi has also said that he continued developing the project and approached other production companies, including Baweja Studios and JioHotstar. After Netflix announced its Gandhari in 2025, he said the title and elements of the project prompted him to raise objections.

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Kanika Dhillon Denies The Allegations

Kanika Dhillon, who has written and produced Gandhari, has rejected the plagiarism claims. Her production house, Kathha Pictures, described the allegations as false and insisted that the film was independently created.

The production house said, "Our attention has been drawn to allegations circulating on social media and in certain publications to the effect that our forthcoming film Gandhari copies another person's concept and uses that person's title. These allegations are false, and we deny them unequivocally. Gandhari is an original work, written and produced by Ms. Kanika Dhillon and developed by Kathha Pictures. Its story and screenplay are Ms. Dhillon's own work.”

Dhillon also addressed the issue at the trailer launch, saying, “I am a writer first and then a producer. Hence, I totally respect somebody's sentiments. But in this particular case, I have never met the writer. I am sure once he sees the film, he will get a clear picture. And as Ruchika said, Netflix is committed to very stringent rules and parameters. So, I am sure even he’ll get clarity once everything comes out.”