Manoj Bajpayee revealed threats and family trolling during the Ghooskhor Pandat controversy backlash.
Netflix film title row prompted apology and removal of promotional material for review.
Neeraj Pandey clarified 'Pandat' nickname context amid continuing Bollywood controversy debates.
The Ghooskhor Pandat controversy continues to stir debate, with actor Manoj Bajpayee now revealing the personal toll the backlash took on him. The Netflix film faced criticism shortly after its announcement, with several social media users, organisations and political voices calling the title offensive and casteist. While the makers later apologised and reviewed promotional material, Bajpayee has now spoken about receiving threats and seeing his family dragged into the row.
Manoj Bajpayee on threats during Ghooskhor Pandat controversy
Speaking about the fallout, Bajpayee admitted the team had not anticipated such a reaction. It was shared by the actor that an apology had been issued within two days once the scale of public offence became evident. According to Bajpayee, title changes are not difficult for creative teams and should not become a rigid battle when audiences feel strongly.
He further revealed that threats and trolling intensified during the controversy.
Manoj Bajpayee says social media outrage affected family
The actor stated that he continued travelling without fear despite the backlash. It was also said by Bajpayee that empathy was felt towards people engaging in abuse and online attacks.
Addressing social media culture, Bajpayee argued that many people rush to judgement without fully understanding a subject. He added that arguments with impatient or uninformed voices held little value for him.
Earlier, producer Neeraj Pandey had clarified that 'Pandat' functioned as a nickname within the film and was not intended as an attack on any community. It was further announced that promotional material would be withdrawn for review following public criticism.
Ghooskhor Pandat was unveiled during Netflix's Next on Netflix 2026 event in Mumbai alongside a teaser that has since been removed. The film stars Manoj Bajpayee, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi and Divya Dutta. Written by Neeraj Pandey and Ritesh Shah, the project marks Shah's directorial debut and is expected to arrive on Netflix later this year, though no release date has yet been confirmed.
