Taapsee Pannu’s ‘Gandhari’ Sparks Plagiarism Row; Makers Reject Claims as ‘False’

Taapsee Pannu’s upcoming revenge drama Gandhari has found itself at the centre of a plagiarism controversy, with a Mumbai-based writer alleging.

That the film is based on a concept he had previously pitched to its makers. The production house, however, has rejected the claims and maintained that the project is an original creation. Writer Raghav Desai reportedly claimed that he had presented a similar script to the makers in 2024. He alleged that his idea was subsequently developed under writer-producer Kanika Dhillon’s name.

Kathha Pictures, Dhillon’s production company, has now responded to the allegations through a statement shared on Instagram. The production house denied that Gandhari was based on anyone else’s work and said the film was independently developed by Dhillon.

The statement said the allegations that the film copied another person’s concept or title were “false” and were being “unequivocally” denied. It added that Gandhari was an original project written and produced by Dhillon and developed by Kathha Pictures.

The production house further urged media organisations, digital platforms and the public not to circulate the allegations as established facts, describing them as “unverified and false”.

Netflix unveiled the first-look posters of Gandhari in February, teasing Pannu in an intense role. The streaming platform described the film as a story that would explore a mother’s rage, generating considerable interest among fans.

Directed by Devashish Makhija, Gandhari stars Taapsee Pannu in the lead role, with Ishwak Singh also appearing in a key part. The film is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on September 3, following the completion of its shoot in March.

Gandhari marks another collaboration between Pannu and Dhillon. The duo have previously worked together on films including Manmarziyaan, Haseen Dillruba, Rashmi Rocket, Dunki and Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba.

The upcoming film will be their sixth collaboration, with Dhillon serving as both writer and producer.