The entertainment industry continues to rally behind students protesting over the NEET paper leak and the police crackdown on demonstrators, with a growing number of actors, singers, filmmakers and comedians expressing solidarity and calling for empathy, accountability and dialogue on respective social media handles.
Actor Dulquer Salmaan shared a heartfelt note on Instagram Stories, saying the developments at Jantar Mantar were “a reminder to pause, listen, and choose understanding.” Calling education “about hope, opportunity, and the promise of a better future”, he said it was “gut-wrenching” to see young people face uncertainty.
“My hope is for meaningful dialogue, peaceful resolutions, and decisions guided by wisdom and empathy. A future built on understanding will always be stronger than one built on division and violence (sic),” he added.
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali also expressed solidarity by sharing a photograph from the protest with the message, “All we have to do for our future is listen to it,” along with the hashtags #OneNation and “students, our future.”
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Filmmaker Pooja Bhatt continued to question the handling of the protests. Sharing a post on X, she urged those in power to listen to students instead of responding with force.
Actor Aditi Rao Hydari shared a note saying she was speaking “not as an actor, but as a living, thinking, feeling responsible citizen,” expressing distress over the violence and calling for non-violence, dignity, safety, and space for peaceful, transparent dialogue. She added that standing with those in distress “is not agenda driven or political – it is human.
Actor Prajakta Koli also posted, “Every generation decides whether the next one will inherit more faith or more fear. The choices we make today become the stories and hope they carry tomorrow,” alongside the Indian flag, while filmmaker Shoojit Sircar urged students to protest peacefully, writing, “Protest is a democratic right, and exercise your protest within the boundaries of your right,” before signing off with “Jai Hind.”
See the posts here:
Actor Sonakshi Sinha also continued to amplify visuals from the demonstrations, while Shabana Azmi and actor Nimrit Kaur extended their support through social media posts.
Actor Dibyendu Bhattacharya, while speaking to India Today, also backed the students, condemning the alleged police action during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ protest. Veteran actor Anupam Kher, meanwhile, expressed support for students while cautioning them against allowing “political opportunists” to hijack the movement. He said students’ concerns deserve to be heard but urged them to remain focused on their cause.
Singer Arijit Singh also joined the growing list of celebrities extending support to the students by amplifying posts related to the protests on Instagram. Singer-songwriter Anuv Jain voiced his support, while comedian Harsh Gujral shared a note on Instagram, clarifying that it was “not a political post”.
“Whatever the situation may be, students deserve to be heard, treated with dignity, and given a fair opportunity to express their concerns. Their future matters, and I hope their voices are heard with empathy and understanding (sic),” Harsh wrote.
Singer B Praak posted an emotional message, saying his “heart is deeply saddened” by the developments. Stressing that every student represents the hopes of an entire family, he urged authorities to hear them with compassion.
“Students are the future of our country. Their dreams, their lives and their aspirations are precious,” he wrote, adding that the injustice being faced by students today could happen to anyone’s children tomorrow.
See their posts here:
The latest wave of support comes a day after actors Pratibha Ranta, Gurfateh Pirzada and singer Akasa Singh voiced solidarity with the students. Earlier this week, rapper Hanumankind joined protesters on the ground in Delhi and condemned the alleged use of force, while singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh urged authorities to hear students’ concerns, saying, “The voice of the people is the voice of God.”
Actor Ayesha Khan also shared updates from Mumbai after claiming she was briefly detained while attempting to participate in a protest in the city.
As demonstrations continue across the country, an increasing number of voices from the entertainment fraternity have come forward to amplify students’ demands, with many calling for peaceful dialogue and a resolution that prioritises the future and well-being of young people.
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.indiatoday.in ’
