23 October,2026 02:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Manoj Bajpayee. Pic via Instagram
Manoj Bajpayee, whose film Gajab Raat releases on Netflix on October 23, has opened up about the controversy surrounding the film and the personal toll it took on him and his family. The actor, who faced scrutiny when the project was announced, revealed that trolls shared pictures of his young daughter online, which forced him to consult his legal team. For the unversed, the film was previously titled Ghooskhor Pandat, and faced massive backlash. Eventually, the makers changed the title to Gajab Raat.
During an exclusive conversation with India Today, Manoj Bajpayee spoke about the online trolling he and his family faced during the period. "You know why it affected me? Because they brought my family into it," Bajpayee shared.
He further recalled how anonymous social media users targeted his family, saying, "They published and posted a picture of my family and said all sorts of things. The only thing was that their names were not mentioned. Who was the guy who had done it? If his name had been mentioned...When these bots are active and there are trolls without faces and without names, who are you going to...?"
"I am concerned about my family. And it was very brutal on their part to put my little daughter's face out there and say all sorts of things, without even having the guts to mention their own names. I was feeling that assault every hour. I was consulting my legal team. I was also consulting all the bureaucrats who have been my friends for so many years. And all of them told me only one thing: 'Manoj, ignore it. Right now, you can only ignore it'," he added.
Earlier, Manoj had revealed that he had faced threats during the controversy.
For the unversed, Ghooskhor Pandat faced objections over its title, with many claiming that it hurt the sentiments of the Brahmin community. The controversy even reached the courts and faced protests. Following the backlash, producer Neeraj Pandey withdrew the original title.
The film was later renamed Gajab Raat. It is directed by Ritesh Shah and produced by Neeraj Pandey. Alongside Bajpayee, it also stars Divya Dutta, Saqib Saleem, Shraddha Das and Akshay Oberoi, among others.
