Hindi
RIP, Farooq Sheikh
MUMBAI: The year has been a sad one for the Bollywood fraternity and the fans as well who had to bear with the loss of some of talents of the industry. And with one more legend leaving us, the end will end with a sad note.
The 65-year-old actor contributed to the new-age cinema, theatre and television. He started his career with theatre where he actively participated in plays with Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA). His play with Shabana Azmi Tumhari Amrita was appreciated by audiences the world over for 12 years till 2004. The play completed its 20 year run on 26 February 2012. A sequel to this play was staged in India in 2004 titled Aapki Soniya with Farooq Sheikh and Sonali Bendre as main leads.
His Bollywood career started with Garam Hawa (1973) where he played a supporting role. Farooq Sheikh best known for his roles in Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Chashme Buddoor, Kissi Se Na Kehna and Noorie, passed away in Dubai after suffering a heart attack. He was last seen in Club 60.
In the late 90s, he acted in a number of television serials. Chamatkar on Sony and Ji Mantriji on Star plus are among the few. He also worked in a TV serial Shrikant which aired on Doordarshan from 1985 to 1986.
Before Koffee with Karan became a household name, it was Jeena issi ka naam hai which was one of the most talked about chat show. The show, hosted by Sheikh, aired on Zee where he interviewed many Bollywood celebrities. His sense of humour and direct humble approach was the USP of the show.
Hindi
SC slams Neeraj Pandey over Ghooskhor Pandat title, orders rebrand
SC says film cannot release under current title, seeks new name by February 19.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has delivered a stern reality check to acclaimed filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, directing a mandatory name change for his upcoming Netflix project, Ghooskhor Pandat. On Thursday, a bench comprising justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan made it clear that creative freedom does not grant a licence to denigrate specific communities.
The title, which translates to Bribe-taking Brahmin, sparked a firestorm of protest from groups arguing the name was a slur against the Brahmin caste. The court’s intervention has now pushed the production into a legal corner, requiring a complete rebranding before the film can be released.
The highlights of the hearing were the sharp observations made by the bench regarding modern filmmaking and social responsibility. Justice Nagarathna pointedly questioned the necessity of using provocative titles that could incite social friction.
“Being woke is one thing. But creating this kind of unrest when there is already unrest in the country… If you use your freedom to denigrate any section of society, we cannot permit it,” the justice remarked during the proceedings.
The court emphasized that the Constitutional principle of fraternity is just as important as the right to free speech. The bench suggested that filmmakers must be mindful of reasonable restrictions, especially when a title appears to target the dignity of a particular group.
Interestingly, this was not the filmmakers’ first encounter with the legal system over this project. Earlier in February, Netflix and Neeraj Pandey had already informed the Delhi High Court that they had made a conscious decision to change the title following the initial public outcry.
Despite this earlier admission, the Supreme Court felt it necessary to formalise the matter. The judges were firm that the film would not see a digital release under its original branding, expressing concern that equating a caste identity with corruption was a step too far for a diverse society.
“Why should any section of society be denigrated? We are not here to allow people to be insulted in the name of entertainment,” the bench noted, while issuing formal notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Representing the makers, counsel for Pandey and Netflix clarified that the word “Pandat” was intended as a colloquial nickname for the lead character, a gritty police officer played by Manoj Bajpayee, rather than a commentary on the priesthood or the Brahmin community.
Regardless of the intent, the court has demanded a formal commitment. Neeraj Pandey has been directed to file an affidavit by 19 February 2026, proposing a new title and confirming that the film’s content does not defame any community.
With the original trailers and social media teasers already scrubbed from the internet, the film is currently in a state of creative redesign. The industry is watching closely, as this ruling sets a significant precedent for how streaming platforms handle sensitive cultural labels in India.
