Mumbai, October 17: Renowned Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee has issued a strong public statement after a video allegedly showing him promoting a political party went viral ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

The video, widely circulated on social media, appeared to show the actor endorsing a political outfit. However, Bajpayee has clarified that the clip is a doctored version of an old advertisement he had filmed for an OTT platform.

Taking to his official X account, Bajpayee wrote: "I want to publicly declare that I have no association with any political party. The video being circulated is a manipulated version of an advertisement I had done for Prime Video. I sincerely request everyone sharing such content to refrain from spreading distorted information and not to mislead or encourage others with such deceptive content."

The actor condemned the misuse of his image and voice, emphasizing that such actions are not only misleading but also potentially damaging. He urged users to verify content before sharing, especially during sensitive times like election seasons.

Following his clarification, social media users responded with support. One user commented,

"I’m glad you clarified this. People should verify such clips before believing them. But I can confirm this video was not posted from your real X account."

Another added, "This is exactly why celebrities are increasingly approaching courts to safeguard their personal rights and digital presence."

The incident has reignited concerns over deepfakes and the unauthorized use of celebrity images for political or commercial gains.