Filmmaker Priyadarshan has clarified his earlier remarks about actor Rajpal Yadav after the comment sparked discussion in the media and prompted a response from the actor. The clarification comes weeks after Yadav’s legal troubles resurfaced in February 2026 when he surrendered at Tihar Jail in connection with a long-running cheque bounce case involving approximately Rs 9 crores.
Priyadarshan’s initial remarks
In an earlier conversation with Mid-Day, Priyadarshan had spoken about Yadav’s financial difficulties and revealed that he had asked the producers of his upcoming film to increase the actor’s remuneration in order to support him during this period.
The director also said he had long been aware of Yadav’s financial issues, which reportedly date back to a loan the actor took in 2010 to finance his directorial debut Ata Pata Laapata. The film failed to perform at the box office, and the dues eventually escalated to nearly Rs 9 crores over time.
Explaining why he continued to work with Yadav, Priyadarshan had said, “I knew about his problem. That’s why I kept signing Rajpal for every film. I pushed him in ad films too. The poor guy made a blunder because of his poor education. Rajpal is a good soul.”
Rajpal Yadav’s response
Reacting to the remark, Yadav rejected the suggestion that his difficulties were linked to his educational background. “This is completely wrong. Priyanji doesn’t know me. I am a well-educated person and I have been working from the age of 11 to 55,” he said.
The actor further added that professional setbacks have nothing to do with academic qualifications. “Even the biggest stalwarts face trouble at some point. That has nothing to do with education. If I had been poorly educated, I wouldn’t have survived in this industry for 25–30 years,” he stated.
Priyadarshan issues clarification
Following the actor’s response, Priyadarshan clarified his statement in an interview with Hindustan Times, saying that his comment had been misunderstood and was never intended as an insult. “Actually, I didn’t mean that. Education is something we learn from books and something we learn from the street as well,” he said. According to the filmmaker, he was referring to awareness and street-smartness rather than formal education. “That is what I meant—education in the sense of awareness,” he explained.
Priyadarshan added that Yadav comes from a village background and described him as an extremely innocent person. “People there are naturally very innocent and may not always understand situations. Being able to distinguish between the right and wrong people is also a form of education in a broader sense,” he said.
The discussion comes ahead of the release of Bhooth Bangla, an upcoming film directed by Priyadarshan and starring Akshay Kumar in the lead role. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on April 10, 2026.
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