Alia Bhatt breaks her silence on the student protest in Delhi, says society must listen to the next generation. 'Their courage humbles me'

Actor Alia Bhatt has spoken publicly in support of the ongoing student protest in Delhi over the alleged NEET paper leak and examination irregularities. Her statement comes days after reports of police action during a protest march and follows similar messages of support from several members of the film industry, including Salman Khan.

Sharing a note on Instagram, Alia said the determination shown by students had left a deep impact on her and urged society to pay attention to the voices of the younger generation, whom she described as the country's future.

Alia Bhatt says students deserve to be heard

In her Instagram post, Alia reflected on the events of the past few days and the resilience shown by students despite the challenges they have faced.


She wrote, "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, while creating a better path for those who will come after them."

The actor went on to praise the protesters for standing by their demands and questioned whether society was truly listening to young people.

"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 tomorrow. For the students. By the students. The future is theirs. Jai Hind," she added.

Her statement came after criticism from some quarters over Bollywood's silence on the issue, with more celebrities now publicly backing the students.

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Salman Khan had extended support earlier

A day before Alia's post, Salman Khan also expressed solidarity with the protesting students. Sharing a childhood photograph on social media, he called the movement peaceful and voiced concern over the violence that reportedly followed.

He wrote, "It was such a peaceful movement, feel so sad that it had to take a violent turn. My heart goes out to the students and their families who were hurt. Paper leak is a very serious issue, and I am glad to know n see that the kids of our country have come together for a better educational system, and their parents supported them."

Salman further said, "I truly appreciate the stand they have taken, showing dedication, sincerity, and keenness to study hard n make their future and a greater, educated India. This andolan, this protest, is the right way to go abt it, n the students have done this peacefully. So courageous and brave. Driven and motivated towards education, this generation will make India proud."

The actor also urged that the movement should remain focused on students and education, saying it should not be turned into a political issue and that the credit should belong to the students themselves.

More film personalities back the movement

Support for the protest has continued to grow within the film industry. Huma Qureshi and her brother Saqib Saleem visited the protest site at Jantar Mantar to meet students and express solidarity.

Several other actors and filmmakers have also spoken in favour of the movement over the past few days. Among them are Rajkummar Rao, Prakash Raj, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Anupam Kher, R. Madhavan, Imran Khan, Abhay Deol, Sonakshi Sinha, Hrithik Roshan, Riteish Deshmukh, Swara Bhasker, Pa Ranjith, Anurag Kashyap, Preity Zinta, Pratibha Ranta, Revathy, Tovino Thomas, singer Arijit Singh and rapper Hanumankind.