Cinema VinesWhen Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation on July 25, the reaction from the entertainment industry was swift and varied. While many Bollywood figures joined the student protests and praised the Cockroach Janata Party, Sonam Wangchuk, and the movement’s leaders, actors Ranvir Shorey and Tara Deshpande expressed disappointment with the minister’s decision and offered a more nuanced view of his career.
Shorey took to X (formerly Twitter) in a moment of shock, posting a GIF that read, “And in one swift move the Modi govt has managed to win over none of its enemies, and disenchant a lot of its supporters. #masterstroke,” complete with clapping emojis. When asked whether Pradhan should have resigned over the NEET paper leak, Shorey clarified that the resignation should have come before the protests turned into “streets held hostage.” He added that “cockroaches” on the streets would continue to be a problem if supporters were not heard.
Deshpande echoed the sentiment of disappointment by reposting a tweet from Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu. She highlighted Pradhan’s long tenure and the achievements he delivered outside the NEET controversy, noting his role in launching the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, expanding LPG connections to millions of low‑income households, and overseeing reforms such as the PAHAL direct benefit transfer for LPG subsidies and the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP). She also praised his stewardship of the steel industry during the pandemic and described his resignation as a respectful act.
Other Bollywood personalities also weighed in on the situation. Prakash Raj, Shabana Azmi, and Hanumankind attended the Delhi protests, while Sonakshi Sinha and Vijay Verma voiced support online. Gurfateh Pirzada, Pratibha Ranta, and Shalini Pandey joined the Mumbai protests. The wave of celebrity endorsement extended to Kamal Haasan, Chinmayi Sripaada, and others, who lauded the CJP, Wangchuk, and Gen Z for spearheading the movement amid allegations of irregularities in the NEET exam and the paper leak.
The mixed reactions from the film industry underscore the complexity of the debate surrounding Pradhan’s resignation. While many celebrated the move as a victory for student activism, others, like Shorey and Deshpande, urged a more measured assessment of his contributions to national policy and the broader implications of his departure.
