Hindi film stars lend quiet support to protesters

Away from the long shadow of Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, Hindi film stars have quietly added their glimmer to the voice of protesters at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere.

Even as many big stars have maintained a studied silence, artists like Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Alia Bhatt, Chitrangada Singh, R. Madhavan, Sara Ali Khan and Huma Qureshi have lent support to the youngsters seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Raghubir Yadav slams police

While all of them supported the students, it was veteran actor Raghubir Yadav who hit out at the police for its alleged brutalities, stating: “Those who have worn khaki uniforms and displayed brutality, the entire creation, the entire universe will never forgive them.”

In the early hours of Friday (July 24, 2026), Ms. Qureshi showed up at Jantar Mantar with her actor brother Saquib Salim. The duo marched with the protesting students, and spent about an hour there. Fellow actor Imran Khan took part in a solidarity march in Mumbai a few hours earlier.

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi was among the first from the film fraternity to express solidarity with the protesters, and shared the stage with them in New Delhi. Demanding reforms in the educational system, she urged the government “to allocate 6% of the GDP to education, public health and women’s empowerment”. Ms. Azmi had also taken part in the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on July 20 where tear gas shells were lobbed. Being asthmatic, she had to take recourse to her inhaler before going back to the protesters. “What they (students) are demanding is not sinister or evil. Students are asking for educational reforms to safeguard their future. Listen to them,” she urged.

Others took to social media to speak up on behalf of the students. Emphasising the need for a dialogue between the students and the government, Ms. Singh shared on X: “A nation cannot ask its youth to dream big and then remain silent when those dreams are in distress... Please listen to these students. Their concerns deserve dialogue, empathy and action.”

Broken my heart: Alia Bhatt

In an emotional appeal on X, Ms. Bhatt tweeted, “The last few days have broken my heart and then mended it, again and again, with hope. Behind every student standing their ground is a dream, a family’s hope, a journey of countless sacrifices. They represent not just themselves but everyone who has supported them... Their courage humbles me. Their resolve is a mirror held up to all of us, asking whether we are truly listening to the very people who will inherit and shape this country’s future. For the students. By the students. The future is theirs.”

Expressing support for the protesters, veteran actor Madhavan tweeted: “I share the concern and disappointment felt by so many students and parents today. An education system must inspire confidence, fairness and opportunity. Incidents such as examination paper leaks undermine that trust.”

Upcoming actor Sara Ali Khan too tweeted words of support, stating, “Our students are our future and their future tugs at the very heart of the nation... Their courage and determination to seek a better and safer future is both inspiring and stirring, a powerful awakening of our shared conscience. We must listen to them with open hearts, care deeply and walk beside them.”

On a positive note, Ms. Khan said, “As an optimistic patriot, I have immense faith that our government will deliver justice.”