Ghaati poster (image: Cinemy on X)
Hyderabad: The Director of Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Telangana, has raised concerns over the trailer for the Telugu film ‘Ghaati’, saying the scenes shown in the trailer might be interpreted as ‘glorifying narcotic-related activities’.
They also pointed out the lack of statutory warnings, “which may contribute to a negative influence on impressionable youth.”
In a press release, the Director said that upon reviewing the trailer, it was observed that the film is ‘heavily centred around the cultivation, transportation and consumption of cannabis’ and that the ‘portrayal of a protagonist engaged in narcotics trade, without appropriate disclaimers or contextual warnings, risks normalising and glamorising such illegal acts.’
Pointing to the immersive nature of films, EAGLE stated that the medium “must be treated with greater responsibility” than other forms of artistic expression and urged the filmmakers of Ghaati to refrain from depicting scenes that “glorify the use, sale, or distribution of narcotic substances.”
They have asked for the inclusion of scrolling statutory warnings such as “Ganja is banned in India and is extremely harmful to health” during scenes involving drug-related content, while also asking to ensure that the film does not propagate or endorse any acts that violate the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Finally, EAGLE has warned that failure to comply may invite legal action under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.
Ghaati is a Telugu action crime drama film directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and stars Anushka Shetty in the lead role. The film is produced by Yeduguru Rajeev Reddy and Saibabu Jagarlamudi under First Frame Entertainments and is set to release on September 5.
This post was last modified on September 4, 2025 9:46 pm