Cinema VinesIn a striking display of solidarity, Bollywood actor Imran Khan joined the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest march in Mumbai on Wednesday, marching alongside hundreds of students despite rain and a tense atmosphere. The video, shared by the X account “Cockroach is Back,” shows Khan smiling, fist‑bumping fellow demonstrators, and taking photos with fans who recognized him in the crowd.
Earlier, Khan had voiced his outrage over police violence at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, where students had marched from the iconic monument to Parliament and were met with lathi‑charges and tear gas. In a heartfelt Instagram post, he wrote, “Something broke in me today. Watching as police gassed and battered student protestors… how could I make sense of this? These students who worked hard, only to be failed by the system.” He added, “Are these not the children of Mother India? If not them, for whom do we build, and whose future do we claim to protect?”
The CJP, led by activist Sonam Wangchuk, has been calling for reforms in education and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike for more than 23 days, and the movement has attracted support from a host of film personalities, including Zeenat Aman, Anurag Kashyap, Shabana Azmi, Ratna Pathak Shah, Abhay Deol, and Omi Vaidya.
On Wednesday, the CJP reported that thousands of protesters had gathered at Jantar Mantar, with spokesperson Saurav Das sharing footage of the swelling crowd. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka told ANI news that “millions more will come” if the government does not meet their demands. In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs deployed 20 additional CRPF companies from West Bengal to Delhi to bolster security.
Despite the heavy security presence, the protest continued, underscoring the growing frustration among students and activists over perceived systemic failures. Khan’s participation highlighted the broader cultural backing for the movement, as celebrities across the industry have taken to social media to condemn police brutality and rally for educational reform.
