Mumbai, Oct 17: Acclaimed actor Manoj Bajpayee has firmly denied any political affiliations after a doctored video suggesting he endorsed a political party went viral online ahead of the Bihar elections.
The manipulated clip, circulating on multiple social media platforms, appeared to show Bajpayee promoting a political agenda. However, the actor confirmed that the video is a cleverly edited version of an old advertisement he had filmed for Prime Video India, and carries no political message.
On Friday, Bajpayee addressed the matter on his official X account, stating:
“I would like to publicly state that I have no association or allegiance with any political party. The video being circulated is a fake, patched-up edit of an ad I did for @PrimeVideoIN. I sincerely urge everyone not to engage with or encourage misleading content.”
Experts note that such manipulations are increasingly common during election seasons, with AI-generated deepfakes and heavily edited videos blurring the line between reality and fabrication. Celebrities like Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Karan Johar have recently taken legal steps to protect their image and personality rights against unauthorized use.
On the professional front, Bajpayee continues to impress audiences with his recent performance in ‘Inspector Zende’, a Netflix film where he portrays a determined cop who twice captured the notorious criminal Charles Sobhraj. Directed by Chinmay Mandlekar, the film is currently streaming.
By addressing the viral clip promptly, Bajpayee has set an example of combating misinformation while continuing to focus on his thriving acting career.