Does Taapsee Pannu's 'Gandhari' have a connection to the Mahabharata? Here is how the film's story is linked to the epic..

Taapsee Pannu's recently released film 'Gandhari' has been a topic of discussion ever since it premiered on Netflix. In this film, Taapsee plays the lead role of a woman named Baani.

What is the story of the film?
The film tells the story of a mother named Baani, whose daughter is abducted at a railway station; in her attempt to save her child, she loses her eyesight.

Later, she prepares herself and sets out on a mission to find her daughter, during which she uncovers a massive child trafficking network. But if Taapsee's character is named Baani, why is the film titled 'Gandhari'? Is there a connection between the name 'Gandhari' and the historical figure from the Mahabharata? Let us uncover the mystery.

Is there a connection to the Mahabharata?
Although Taapsee Pannu's film is not a direct adaptation of the Mahabharata, its title is inspired by Gandhari, one of the epic's most significant characters. She was the wife of the blind King Dhritarashtra and, after marriage, chose to blindfold herself so that she, too, would be unable to see, just like her husband. Gandhari is also portrayed as a grieving mother who lost her 100 sons in the Kurukshetra War.

Taapsee Pannu's character, Baani, is symbolically linked to Gandhari from the Indian epic. Like Gandhari, Baani is a grieving mother who cannot see, although the reasons for their blindness differ vastly. It is this connection between the two characters that led to the film being titled 'Gandhari'.

A similarity between Baani and Gandhari
Both Baani and Gandhari are mothers who have lost their sight, yet their journeys are fundamentally different. Baani actively steps onto the battlefield to save her daughter, whereas Gandhari is primarily remembered as the grieving mother who lost her 100 sons in the Kurukshetra war.

In essence, the film uses the character of Gandhari from the *Mahabharata* to explore themes of maternal love, blindness, grief, and a woman's resolve to fight for her child.

About *Gandhari*
*Gandhari* is an action-thriller film directed by Devashish Makhija, and written and produced by Kanika Dhillon. It stars Taapsee Pannu, Ishwak Singh, Chhaya Kadam, Swastika Mukherjee, and Mita Vashisht. The film was released on Netflix on September 3, 2026.

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