A growing number of actors, singers and filmmakers from India’s entertainment industry have voiced support for student protests taking place at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The demonstrations have drawn national attention over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and broader calls for greater transparency and reforms in the country’s education system.
The protests gained further momentum after reports of police action against demonstrators, prompting several well-known personalities to issue public statements expressing solidarity with the students. Many of them have called for peaceful dialogue, accountability and respect for the right to protest, while urging authorities to address the students’ concerns.
Among the latest celebrities to publicly support the movement are actor Imran Khan and playback singer Arijit Singh. Their statements came as support for the protests continued to grow across the entertainment industry, with both expressing solidarity with students and urging that their concerns be heard through peaceful and democratic means.
Several other prominent figures from the film industry have also publicly backed the demonstrations. Actor Sonu Sood called for compassion towards the protesting students, while comedian Vir Das urged fellow artists to speak up. Actress Dia Mirza criticised the reported use of force against students, and Soha Ali Khan praised the courage shown by young demonstrators. Aditi Rao Hydari emphasised the importance of dialogue, while Aayush Sharma and Rohit Saraf also extended their support to the movement. Actors Prakash Raj, Zeenat Aman, Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh similarly voiced solidarity with the protesters, calling for greater attention to the concerns raised by students.
Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh also expressed support for the protesters following clashes during their march, stating that the voices of the people deserve to be heard. Veteran actress Shabana Azmi joined the demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, while actors Bhumi Pednekar, Huma Qureshi and Nandita Das, along with screenwriter Sutapa Sikdar, publicly declared their solidarity with the students and their demands for education reforms and accountability.
The demonstrations have primarily been centred at Jantar Mantar, a traditional venue for public protests in the Indian capital. Student groups have raised concerns regarding alleged irregularities in the NEET examination process and have called for greater transparency, accountability and reforms in educational administration. Reports of confrontations between protesters and police have further intensified public debate and attracted widespread attention on social media and in national news coverage.
The growing support from public figures has increased national attention on the protests, but the celebrities have largely focused their statements on peaceful dialogue, democratic rights and the need for authorities to engage with students’ concerns. At the time of writing, the demonstrations remain part of a wider discussion on education policy, examination transparency and the treatment of peaceful protesters in India.
