Manoj Bajpayee's long-delayed Netflix thriller finally has a new name and a release date. On October 15, 2026, Netflix unveiled the trailer of Gajab Raat, the film earlier announced as Ghooskhor Pandat, and confirmed that it will premiere on the platform on October 23.
Produced by Neeraj Pandey's Friday Film Works and marking the directorial debut of writer Ritesh Shah, the film reunites Pandey and Bajpayee for a story set over a single night in Delhi.
Background: why the title changed
The film ran into trouble soon after its first teaser was shown at Netflix's "Next on Netflix 2026" event in Mumbai earlier this year. Several groups objected to the original title, saying it was offensive to a community, and legal notices and court petitions followed. In February, Netflix pulled the teaser and promotional material, and Pandey described the project as a fictional cop drama in a social media note.
The makers later told the courts that the old title had been withdrawn for good. Reports say a Supreme Court bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan accepted Pandey's affidavit and closed the issue, while a Delhi High Court petition was also disposed of after Netflix said a new title had been chosen. Gajab Raat is that new title.
What the trailer shows
Bajpayee plays Ajay Dikshit, a corrupt police officer whose night of making easy money goes badly wrong. When a badly injured girl is thrown from a moving car in central Delhi, his attempt to find out who she is pulls him into a much bigger conspiracy. The entire story plays out over one night, and the trailer leans on the tension of a man forced to choose between personal gain and doing the right thing.
Netflix describes it as a suspense thriller in which loyalties are tested and every choice comes at a cost.
Gajab Raat: key details
| Title | Gajab Raat (earlier announced as Ghooskhor Pandat) |
| Platform | Netflix |
| Premiere date | October 23, 2026 |
| Genre | Suspense thriller |
| Director | Ritesh Shah (debut) |
| Producer | Neeraj Pandey, Friday Film Works |
| Story | Ritesh Shah and Neeraj Pandey |
| Cast | Manoj Bajpayee, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, Divya Dutta, Kiku Sharda, Nushrratt Bharuccha |
The team behind it
Neeraj Pandey has built a strong relationship with Netflix through projects such as Khakee, Sikandar Ka Muqaddar and Taskaree. Gajab Raat brings him back together with Manoj Bajpayee after nearly a decade, a pairing many fans remember from the actor's earlier collaborations with Pandey's banner.
Ritesh Shah has a long record as a writer and now steps into the director's chair. In Netflix's announcement, Pandey said an engaging story should do more than keep viewers guessing, while Bajpayee said he has always been drawn to characters who are not easy to define. Shah said he loves thrillers that pull you into a situation and keep you guessing what happens next.
What it means for viewers
For OTT audiences, Gajab Raat adds a strong Hindi thriller to a busy October line-up. Bajpayee's streaming record, from The Family Man onwards, gives the film a built-in audience, and the one-night format promises a tight, fast-moving watch rather than a long series commitment.
The title row also shows how carefully filmmakers and platforms now have to handle names and promotional material. The makers chose to rename the film and move on instead of fighting a prolonged legal battle, which allowed the release to go ahead.
Why the one-night format works
Stories that unfold over a single night have a natural ticking clock. Every scene pushes the character closer to a deadline, and there is little room for slow subplots. Pandey's banner is known for tightly plotted crime and con dramas, so the format plays to its strengths. It also suits streaming, where viewers often decide within minutes whether to keep watching. With an ensemble that mixes Bajpayee's intensity with Saqib Saleem, Divya Dutta and Kiku Sharda, the trailer suggests a film built on twists and character clashes rather than big action set pieces.
What happens next
With the trailer out, promotions are expected to pick up through next week. Gajab Raat starts streaming on Netflix on Friday, October 23, 2026.
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