Overview
- At the trailer launch on Tuesday, Netflix and writer‑producer Kanika Dhillon publicly defended Gandhari’s originality and released the film’s trailer ahead of its September 3 Netflix premiere.
- Writer Kalyan Bandi says he registered a story called Gandhari in 2019, pitched it to industry contacts and sent a legal notice in September 2025 seeking about ₹40 lakh and credit, but he did not pursue court action because of cost.
- A separate Mumbai writer, Raghav Desai, has also said he pitched a Mahabharata‑inspired script or novella to the makers in 2024 and accused the team of using his idea.
- Kathha Pictures and Netflix have issued firm denials, with the production house calling the claims false and Netflix saying the pitch referenced by complainants is very different from Dhillon’s screenplay.
- Industry experts note that registrations and pitch acknowledgements can support a claim but do not by themselves prove legal infringement, so the publicly aired dispute remains unresolved and could lead to further legal steps before or after the film’s release.