Sai Dharam Tej’s Ganja Shankar in legal trouble; Anti Narcotics Bureau issues notice

Amid rumours of the film being shelved, there seems to be new trouble brewing for Sai Dharam Tej’s upcoming film.

The Telangana State Anti Narcotics Bureau has issued notices to actor Sai Dharam Tej, director Sampath Nandi and producer Naga Vamsi. The establishment has taken offense to the movie title, Ganja Shankar, and has asked them to refrain from showing any imagery of drug consumption. (Also Read: Boney Kapoor confirms Janhvi Kapoor has been roped in for Ram Charan's next)

Sai Dharam Tej's next film Ganja Shankar's title will need to be changed

The notice

In a post on X, the NAB wrote, “Director @TS_NAB Issued Notice to #GANJASHANKAR film Crew raising objection over title & content depicting character as Ganja business, its glorification. Request film fraternity sensitize the concerned to refrain from glorifying sale, consume etc, of NDPS Substance. @TelanganaDGP.”

In the notice they posted on X, Sandeep Sandhilya, director of NAB wrote, “In your movie, depicting the protagonist as engaging in ganja business and glorifying his acts and the title Ganja Shankar will create negative impact on the viewers, especially students and youth. We expect you to refrain from depicting any scenes in your movie where consumption, sale, peddling and supply of ganja is glorified and shown as a heroic act and you desist from having such scenes in your movie and to abstain from propagating such acts which will have deleterious effects on the young generation.”

Drop the title

The makers have also been asked to drop the word ‘ganja’ from the film’s title. “You are also directed that the title Ganja Shankar should be changed and the word Ganja should be deleted from the title Ganja Shankar,” Sandhilya wrote in the notice, threatening legal action should these not be followed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985. Notices were also sent to Telugu Film Producers Council presidents, the Directors Association and the Movie Artist Association.

Rumours of the film being shelved

Recently rumours have been circulating on X that Ganja Shankar has been shelved due to ‘budgetary constraints.’ The makers haven’t addressed these rumours nor given fans any update on the film.

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