Manoj Bajpayee has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his upcoming film ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’, saying he was deeply hurt by the abuse and death threats directed at him and his family, including his wife and teenage daughter, over the film’s title. The actor clarified the intent behind the film, defended the makers’ willingness to address concerns, and drew a sharp line between legitimate criticism and online toxicity.
Manoj Bajpayee shares he didn’t see any problem with the title
The actor made it clear that the decision to name the film was not his to make. In an interview with NDTV, he said, “When a film is being named, actors are not usually made part of that process. But if the OTT platform and my director decided to go with a certain title, I personally did not see any problem with it.”Despite his own comfort with the original title, Manoj said the makers responded to public objections in good faith and moved quickly to resolve the matter. He added, “But there was a section that expressed its reservations through social media. For those people, we decided to change the title. When we went to court, we were ready to change the title. In one hearing, everything was taken care of.”
Manoj Bajpayee clarifies it was not ‘Pandit’
Manoj Bajpayee also explained the character at the centre of the film, pushing back against the assumption that the title targeted an entire community. He said, “When we are talking about Pandit or Ghooskhor, we are not talking about all people. We are talking about this character. In this film, what is this character called? He is not a Pandit. He is Pandat. He is very popular by that nickname, which the police department has given him. He is a Delhi Police officer.”
Manoj Bajpayee talks about getting death threats
The sharpest part of Manoj’s response came when he addressed the personal attacks on him and his family. His words made clear that what upset him was not the criticism itself, but the manner in which it was delivered. He said, “But tell me, how is it right to send me death threats? How is it right to drag my family into the whole picture and use all kinds of obscene language? What is my family’s fault? My family has female members whom you are talking about. How far do you think it is right to demean a woman who has no responsibility in naming the film?”The actor went on to question, “How far is it right that you are sending death threats to me, who is part of it as an actor? Death threats? For the name? I mean, just for the name.”
Manoj Bajpayee talks about the impact on his family
In the same conversation, the actor said navigating the chaos of social media made it hard to know whose criticism to take seriously. He said, “There are bots and trolls everywhere, and it is very difficult to know whom to take seriously and whom not to. So, I was disappointed. I really don’t know. I was feeling bad for my family members, who have nothing to do with it. They were talking about my 15-year-old daughter. They were talking about my wife,” he said.
More about the film
The title issue has since been resolved following a court hearing, and the film is expected to release on Netflix. The movie follows a Delhi Police officer navigating a world of crime.
