Actor Manoj Bajpayee has weighed in on the debate over police conduct following two high-profile controversies — the reported firing incident involving actor Tiger Shroff, and the confrontations between police personnel and protesters during Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) demonstrations in Mumbai and Delhi. Bajpayee, who has portrayed police officers across several films, urged the public not to judge an entire profession based on the conduct of a few.

What Bajpayee Said

Speaking in a conversation on 22 October 2026, Bajpayee acknowledged that every profession — including law enforcement — has individuals who both honour and abuse their roles. Drawing a direct parallel with the film industry, he said collective reputations often suffer unfairly because of isolated bad actors.

'There are all kinds of people in every profession. For me, it is important to see whom I am talking to and whose work I am seeing. Whose work is being praised, or whose work is being criticised. We have to see how much praise or criticism is justified. I know it is a very demanding duty, and many police officers are very good friends of mine. Very good friends. But a lot of times, when we read the news, we see some of them who misuse their power. In the same way, in our industry, a lot of actors are very good, but because of someone, all of us are defamed,' Bajpayee said.

He further cautioned against the tendency to swing between hero-worship and wholesale condemnation. 'It's always about how you suddenly make someone a God in our profession, and then you also abuse them later because someone else has done something wrong, and end up generalising. So we have to look at every individual separately. And that's how I do it,' he added.

The Tiger Shroff Firing Incident

The remarks come in the wake of a reported firing incident involving actor Tiger Shroff, which prompted sharp criticism of the Mumbai Police from several Bollywood celebrities and fans over alleged security and safety lapses. The specifics of the incident, including the circumstances and any investigation, have not been independently confirmed beyond what officials have stated, and the police have reportedly faced calls to account for any failures in protection arrangements.

CJP Protests and Police Conduct

Separately, during CJP-related protests held in Mumbai and Delhi in July and October 2026, reports emerged of confrontations between police personnel and demonstrators. Some officers reportedly alleged they were subjected to physical violence, verbal abuse, and inappropriate physical contact directed at women officers by protesters. Both sets of incidents have collectively intensified public scrutiny of law enforcement's conduct and safety protocols.

Bajpayee's Upcoming Film 'Gajab Raat'

Bajpayee's comments arrive just ahead of the premiere of his Netflix crime thriller 'Gajab Raat', directed by Ritesh Shah and produced by Neeraj Pandey. The film, which premieres on 23 October 2026, also stars Divya Dutta, Akshay Oberoi, Saqib Saleem, Shraddha Das, and Kiku Sharda, with Nushrratt Bharuccha in a cameo role. Notably, Bajpayee's extensive body of work in cop roles lends weight to his perspective on the police-public trust debate.

Broader Context

The dual controversies have reignited a recurring conversation in India about accountability in law enforcement — one that surfaces periodically after high-profile incidents involving public figures or mass protests. Critics argue the Tiger Shroff episode exposes gaps in celebrity protection protocols, while the CJP confrontations raise questions about crowd management and the limits of police authority during civil demonstrations. Bajpayee's nuanced framing — defend the institution, scrutinise the individual — reflects a sentiment that industry observers say is increasingly rare in a polarised media climate.