The upcoming Netflix film 'Gandhari' starring Tapas Pannu has become embroiled in legal disputes after writer Kalyana Bandi raised allegations of plagiarism.
Kalyana Bandi claims that the film's concept is highly similar to a story he wrote many years ago. The film was written and produced by Kanika Dhillou, in which Tapas plays the role of a mother who goes to rescue her kidnapped daughter. However, Kanika Dhillou's production company has rejected all these accusations, stating that the film is entirely original.
Kalyana Bandi, an IIT Madras graduate, currently works as an inspector in the GST and Customs Department. He asserts that in 2019, he wrote and registered a story titled 'Gandhari.' His story was also centered on a mother who transforms into a dangerous goddess after falling victim to a child trafficking ring.
In an interview with India Today, Kalyana revealed that in 2019, he showed this story to Monika Shergill. At that time, Monika Shergill worked at Voot and now serves as Vice President at Netflix. The writer questioned the origin of the film's plot. He also stated that he sent a legal notice in September 2025, a copy of which India Today possesses. In this notice, he demanded financial compensation and recognition of his authorship of the story.
According to Kalyana Bandi, he first contacted Monika Shergill via the social network LinkedIn in 2019. The following month, he sent her his eight-page short story and two-page synopsis of 'Gandhari.' Although his story was reviewed, he was informed several weeks later that it did not fit the company's current film slate.
The writer also mentioned that he registered his story and synopsis with the Writers Association during that period. Despite this, he continued to work on the story for many years. In 2023, he discussed the plot and screenplay with Harman Baweja's studio, and these negotiations lasted about five to six months. He also submitted his story to Jio Hotstar.
Subsequently, the announcement of the 'Gandhari' film on Netflix in 2025 surprised the writer. He said that upon seeing the film's title, it caught his attention, but he did not draw any immediate conclusions. After that, he began gathering information about the film and comparing it with his written story. He felt the similarity was so great that the issue needed to be raised.
For Kalyana Bandi, the title 'Gandhari' is also significant in this dispute. He believes he chose this title in line with his story's concept and did not expect it to be used in another narrative. He asked, 'Only I can connect this title to my concept because it is my creation. How can it be credited to Kanika Dhillou?'
The writer also claims that after the film's announcement, the production companies he had been negotiating with distanced themselves from him. This resulted in financial and professional losses for him. He stated that despite sending a legal notice in September 2025, he received no response, and the matter never went to court.
He told India Today that after the lack of response, his lawyer advised him to proceed with litigation. However, being a government employee, he could not afford the expenses of a protracted legal battle, so he ultimately decided not to pursue the case further. In the legal notice, the writer demanded compensation of around 40 lakh rupees for the alleged unauthorized use of his story, damage to his reputation, moral distress, and legal costs. Nevertheless, he added that money was not important to him; what mattered most was the recognition and authorship of his story. He said, 'I don't need the money. Just say it's my idea and accept it. I will be happy even if they prove it's not my story.'
Kanika Dhillou's production company, Kattha Pictures, categorically denied all of Kalyana Bandi's allegations. In a statement, the production company asserted that 'Gandhari' is an original film and all accusations are false. The production company noted that it learned of these allegations through social media and certain media reports claiming that their upcoming film 'Gandhari' was a copy of another person's concept and title.
In its statement, the company emphasized: 'These allegations are completely untrue, and 'Gandhari' is an original film written and produced by Kanika Dhillou, developed by Kattha Pictures. The story and screenplay belong to Kanika Dhillou herself. We urge the media, digital platforms, and the public to consider these allegations unsubstantiated and false, and not to publish or spread them as truth.'