Manoj Bajpayee’s much-awaited and controversial film, Ghooskhor Pandat, finally has a new title as it gears up for release. The film has been renamed Gajab Raat following severe backlash, protests and legal troubles earlier this year. Notably, the suspense thriller reunites filmmaker Neeraj Pandey and actor Manoj Bajpayee.
Gajab Raat trailer
Starring Manoj Bajpayee, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, Divya Dutta, Kiku Sharda and Nushrratt Bharuccha, Gajab Raat is a tense, character-driven thriller where loyalties are tested while every decision carries a price. It is a story about a cop caught between personal gain and doing what he believes is right. As seen in the trailer, the film unfolds over a single night, as one decision leads to a chain of events with far-reaching consequences. It is directed by Ritesh Shah.
Actor Manoj Bajpayee said, “What makes the story particularly compelling is how the characters’ motivations gradually reveal themselves as the night unfolds. Reuniting with Neeraj after so long was a wonderful experience, and seeing Ritesh make the transition from a writer, whose work I have admired, to a director was equally exciting. I think audiences will have a lot to discover in Gajab Raat.”
The film is all set to arrive on Netflix on October 23, 2026.
Ghooskhor Pandat controversy
For the unversed, the upcoming Netflix crime-thriller film was originally titled Ghooskhor Pandat. The film sparked major backlash and legal trouble back in February 2026, when makers released a teaser, announcing the project. It was accused of allegedly defaming the Brahmin and Pandit communities by pairing a corruption slur (ghooskhor) with a traditional title (Pandat).
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had instructed an FIR to be registered at Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station against the makers and Netflix for threatening social harmony. Additionally, public interest litigations (PILs) and writ petitions were also filed in the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court, seeking to ban the release.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had also issued a notice to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting regarding negative stereotyping.
Director Neeraj Pandey and actor Manoj Bajpayee later clarified that the story is about a fictional cop and does not comment on any caste or religion. The makers also stated that they would change the name of the film.