Manoj Bajpayee has spoken about the online harassment faced by his wife, Shabana Raza, and their teenage daughter amid the controversy surrounding his Netflix film Gajab Raat, originally titled Ghooskhor Pandat. Bajpayee said the backlash extended beyond criticism of the film’s title, with social media users sharing photographs of his family and posting abusive remarks about them.

Manoj Bajpayee says trolls targeted wife and daughter

Speaking in a recent interview with India Today, Bajpayee said the involvement of his family was what affected him most during the controversy. He added that he consulted his legal team and people he had known professionally for years after the attacks escalated.

Recalling the online attacks, Bajpayee said, “You know why it affected me? Because they brought my family into it.”

The film’s original title had drawn objections from individuals and groups who argued that it was offensive to the Brahmin community. The makers subsequently withdrew the original promotional material and changed the title to Gajab Raat.

“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,” he said.

The actor said photographs of his family were circulated online, accompanied by comments that he described as abusive. He expressed concern over the publication of his daughter’s photograph, saying she had no involvement in the controversy surrounding the film.

The controversy began after the project was announced as Ghooskhor Pandat as part of Netflix’s 2026 content slate. The title faced objections from people who argued that it could be interpreted as a derogatory reference to the Brahmin community.

The filmmakers subsequently issued an apology and agreed to change the title. Bajpayee had earlier said the team had not anticipated the reaction but was willing to address concerns raised over the name. The original promotional material was also withdrawn.

The film, now titled Gajab Raat, is directed by Ritesh Shah and produced by Neeraj Pandey. It features Bajpayee alongside Divya Dutta, Saqib Saleem, Shraddha Das and Akshay Oberoi, with Nushrratt Bharuccha appearing in a special role.

The thriller follows a police officer whose decision to help an injured woman draws him into a wider conspiracy unfolding over the course of a night. The film premiered on Netflix on October 23, 2026.

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