Cinema VinesOn July 25, Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down as India’s Union Education Minister after a wave of nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examinations and a leaked exam paper. The resignation came amid mounting pressure from students, parents and civil society groups demanding accountability and reforms in the country’s higher‑education system.
Bollywood stars and filmmakers flooded social media with their reactions. Actress Alia Bhatt posted on Instagram Stories, writing, “Gen Z showed up! The rest is history.” She added a heartfelt note about how recent events had “broken my heart and then mended it, again and again, with hope,” and praised the courage of students standing up for their future. She concluded, “For the students. By the students. The future is theirs. Jai Hind.”
Actor Ibrahim Ali Khan, co‑star Ishaan Khatter and director Zoya Akhtar also weighed in. Ibrahim shared a story that read, “Happy to see voices heard. It’s done bro,” echoing Salman Khan’s earlier comment about the resolution of the issue. He followed up with a post celebrating democracy and the youth of India, while Ishaan posted a photo holding a drawing that read “Inquilaab Zindabad.” Zoya Akhtar reacted with clapping emojis on a journalist’s post about Pradhan’s resignation.
Other celebrities such as Sara Ali Khan, Tina Dutta, Ayesha Kanga, Malaika Arora, Shibani Akhtar and several more expressed their support for the movement through brief posts and emojis. The collective response highlighted the role of public figures in amplifying the call for transparent governance and student rights.
The resignation followed a series of protests that began with the Chalo Sansad march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament, during which Delhi Police used lathis and tear gas. Demonstrations spread across the country, with activists and artists participating in rallies and online campaigns demanding reforms in the NEET process and a fairer education system.
