Celebrities rally behind NEET protests as film, music industry voices support
Support for the student movement over the alleged NEET paper leak and demands for education reforms has rapidly grown beyond political circles, with actors, <a href="https://cinemamix360.com/website_97b25373/2026/07/23/the-filmmaker-demystifying-ai-through-storytelling/” title=”The Filmmaker Demystifying AI Through Storytelling”>filmmakers, musicians and comedians speaking out, attending demonstrations and urging dialogue after the alleged police crackdown on protesters.
Alia Bhatt is among the latest celebrities to lend her voice to the movement. In a social media post, she said the events of the past few days had left her heartbroken yet hopeful, describing students as the generation that will shape the country’s future. She said every student standing up for change carries not just personal dreams but also the hopes and sacrifices of their families.
Salman Khan had earlier backed the protests, calling the alleged paper leak a serious issue. He said students had protested peacefully and appealed for the movement not to be politicised, while urging the government to strengthen the education system.
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Actor-politician Kamal Haasan also called for sweeping reforms, saying student grievances must be heard before they deepen into a larger crisis.
Stars turn up at protest sites
Some celebrities have extended support beyond social media by joining demonstrators in Delhi.
Veteran actors Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj attended the protests at Jantar Mantar before participating in the “Sansad Chalo” march. Azmi maintained that the demonstrations were peaceful and later said she witnessed tear gas and lathi charges on students, including young women.
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Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah also joined the movement, releasing a video message after the police action in which he urged students not to lose hope and told them, “Sab yaad rakha jaayega.”
Imran Khan participated in a solidarity march with students in Mumbai.
Rapper Hanumankind joined demonstrators in Delhi and later condemned the alleged use of force. Independent musician Chaar Diwari was also present at the protest site, while singer-songwriter Anuv Jain attended a solidarity demonstration with students. Actor Ayesha Khan said she was briefly detained while trying to participate in a protest in Mumbai.
Rapper Raftaar attended the Mumbai protest in solidarity with students, calling for accountability over repeated paper leaks and urging authorities to listen to their concerns.
Actors, filmmakers call for dialogue
Actor Dulquer Salmaan said the events at Jantar Mantar were a reminder to “pause, listen and choose understanding”. Calling education a promise of hope and opportunity, he said it was painful to see students facing uncertainty and appealed for meaningful dialogue, peaceful resolutions and decisions guided by empathy.
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali shared a photograph from the protests with a message urging people to listen to the country’s future. Filmmaker Pooja Bhatt questioned the handling of the demonstrations and appealed to those in power to listen to students instead of responding with force.
Actor Aditi Rao Hydari said she was speaking as a responsible citizen rather than as an actor. She condemned the violence, called for non-violence and transparent dialogue, and said standing with people in distress was a human response, not a political one.
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Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar said protest is a democratic right but urged students to remain peaceful.
Actor Prajakta Koli wrote that today’s choices would determine whether the next generation inherits hope or fear.
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Sonakshi Sinha continued sharing updates and visuals from the demonstrations, while Nimrit Kaur also expressed solidarity through social media.
Actor Dibyendu Bhattacharya criticised the alleged police action during the “Chalo Sansad” march, while Anupam Kher said students deserved to be heard but cautioned them against allowing political interests to take over the movement.
Support has also come from Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza, Huma Qureshi, Nandita Das, Bhumi Pednekar, Ratna Pathak Shah, Soni Razdan, Zeenat Aman, Abhay Deol, Rajkummar Rao, Swara Bhasker, Imran Khan, Revathy, Pa Ranjith, Tovino Thomas, Gurfateh Pirzada, Pratibha Ranta, Akasa Singh, Encore ABJ and several others.
Music industry, comedians add their voices
Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh urged authorities to listen to students’ concerns, saying, “The voice of the people is the voice of God.” Singer Arijit Singh amplified posts related to the protests, while B Praak said he was deeply saddened by the developments and described students as the hopes of countless families.
Comedian Samay Raina also voiced support for the movement, questioning why authorities could not engage with students before the situation escalated and noting that competitive examinations remain one of the few pathways to a better future for many young Indians.
Comedian Harsh Gujral clarified that his message was “not a political post” and said students deserve dignity, fairness and an opportunity to express their concerns.
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First Published on July 23, 2026, 14:35:22 IST
