'Even the biggest stalwarts land in trouble': Rajpal Yadav reacts to Priyadarshan's 'poor education' remark, says he is like the director's son

Actor Rajpal Yadav, who has been in the news after surrendering in a 2012 cheque-bounce case, has now responded to filmmaker Priyadarshan’s remarks about him. After spending some time in Tihar Jail, Rajpal was granted interim bail until March 18 so he could attend a family wedding. On Saturday, he addressed the media at a press conference in Mumbai and later told the media portal that he strongly disagreed with the comments made about his education.

Rajpal Yadav hits back at director Priyadarshan's comment

In an interview with SCREEN, Rajpal strongly disagreed with Priyadarshan’s statement. He said the remark was “completely wrong” and insisted that the filmmaker does not know him well enough to comment on his education. The actor emphasised that he is educated and has worked consistently from the age of 11 to 55. He added that facing difficulties does not mean a person lacks education or intelligence.

Rajpal further argued that even the most respected names in the industry can face setbacks. According to him, legal or financial trouble should not be connected to someone’s academic background. He pointed out that surviving in the film industry for over 25 years is proof of his dedication and ability. “Even the biggest stalwarts land in trouble at some point,” he said.



Despite expressing hurt over the remark, Rajpal maintained that he holds Priyadarshan in high regard. He quipped, "I respect three directors a lot - Mr Ram Gopal Verma, David Dhawan and Priyadarshan. I look up to them. I have done more than 50 films with just the three of them. Poor education doesn’t apply here because there is another intention. I am like Priyanji’s son. Whenever he asks, I am ready to prove myself as an actor for a lifetime. But Priyanji or anyone from Bollywood doesn’t know the whole story, so any judgments from them don’t hold value."

More about the case and upcoming projects

For the unversed, earlier, in an interview with Mid-Day, Priyadarshan had spoken about Rajpal’s legal challenges. He said he has known the actor for over two decades and first noticed his talent in Jungle. Their first collaboration was Malamaal Weekly, after which Rajpal featured in many of his projects. The filmmaker also revealed that he had asked producers to increase Rajpal’s remuneration during tough times because he wanted to support him. While calling Rajpal a “good soul,” Priyadarshan remarked that the actor made a mistake due to “poor education,” which triggered the present response.


The legal issue dates back to 2010 when Rajpal took a Rs 5 crore loan to finance his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata. The film did not perform well at the box office, and he was unable to repay the loan. In 2018, a court convicted him and his wife under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act after several cheques bounced. He was sentenced to six months’ simple imprisonment. In 2025, after partially repaying the amount, Rajpal surrendered on February 5 and was later granted interim bail upon depositing Rs 1.5 crore and furnishing a Rs 1 lakh bond.

Amid the legal battle, Rajpal continues to stay active professionally. He confirmed that he reunited with Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar for Bhoot Bangla. He is also part of Welcome To The Jungle and Haiwaan, where he says he has a small yet impactful role.