The streets from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to the Parliament building have heated up due to the student movement and the street protests of the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ (CJP), which began in India in response to exam fraud and calls for reform in the education system. In recent days, after brutal police crackdowns on students, prominent Bollywood actors, writers, and musicians have also spoken out both in support of and against the movement.

For undergraduate medical studies (MBBS, BDS), more than 2 million students across India compete every year in the only mandatory national entrance exam, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test–Undergraduate (NEET-UG). However, this time, it was revealed that the question papers for physics, chemistry, and biology had been leaked before the exam, based on financial transactions.

Due to the question paper leak, the exam had to be canceled and rescheduled. In addition, errors in CBSE’s digital marking and result re-evaluation further fueled the youth movement.

With the future of millions of students at stake, years of hard work wasted, and some students even committing suicide, young people were compelled to take to the streets. Soon after, in May 2026, the Chief Justice of India’s Supreme Court added fuel to the fire by sarcastically referring to unemployed youth as ‘cockroaches’.

In response, some outraged youths symbolically formed the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ through digital platforms, launching a movement demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and sweeping reforms in the education system.

This symbolic movement has now reached the point of surrounding Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and the Parliament building. After police used force and detained protesting students, Bollywood celebrities have also begun to issue strong reactions. Top Bollywood stars, who previously remained silent on such political and social issues, have now openly spoken out in support of the students.

Bollywood actor Salman Khan called the question paper leak issue “extremely serious” and expressed sorrow over the violence against students. “This was a very peaceful movement, but I am saddened to see it turn violent. My sympathies are with the injured students and their families,” he wrote on social media. “This issue is between students and the education system; it should not be hijacked politically.”

Similarly, actress Alia Bhatt posted an Instagram story in support of the student movement, writing, “This is a movement by students, for students, for their own future. They are not only building a better path for themselves but also for the coming generations.”

Renowned Booker Prize winner and social activist Arundhati Roy personally visited the protest site at Jantar Mantar. She expressed solidarity by writing a detailed essay titled “Cockroach Democracy: Unarmed and Dangerous” about the movement.

Roy stated that this movement is not limited to the exam paper leak or the resignation of Education Minister Pradhan, but has become a national symbol of India’s declining democracy, unemployment, and youth despair. In her essay, she described how a “digital trend” that began as a protest against the Chief Justice’s sarcastic remarks ultimately became a movement for the self-respect and rights of India’s youth.

Actress Shabana Azmi joined the student march at the protest site in Jantar Mantar, Delhi. Reciting poetry there, she called on the government to allocate at least 6 percent of the country’s gross domestic product to education and health. Actor Prakash Raj arrived at the hunger strike site carrying a copy of the Indian Constitution, stating that the elected government must be accountable to the people and the youth.

Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh condemned the police intervention and baton charges, writing on Instagram, “What happened to the students is extremely sad and unfortunate. They should not have been treated this way. I urge the authorities to listen to the students’ demands. The voice of the people is the voice of God.”

Recalling that he was accused of being “anti-national” for supporting previous farmers’ movements, he added, “I may be called anti-national again, but God is watching everything.”

Actor Sonu Sood, arguing that “students need support and guidance, not batons,” expressed support for the student movement. Similarly, actress Bhumi Pednekar said, “Violence and force cannot solve the problems in the education sector.” The artist couple Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza have advocated that the youth are the heartbeat of democracy and their voices should not be suppressed.

Actress Preity Zinta has also advocated for peace and justice on social media. She stated that youth are the backbone of the country, and any form of oppression or injustice against them is wrong, and the government should resolve their legitimate demands through dialogue.

Another actress and former Bigg Boss contestant Ayesha Khan expressed strong solidarity with the students on the streets via social media, writing, “It is shameful to use force against students demanding their rights and fair exams. We should stop suppressing the voices of the youth and start listening to them.”

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, meanwhile, distanced himself from the political aspect of the movement, instead emphasizing the future of youth and the environment for sports and education.

Issuing a statement, he said, “Our youth work very hard. Their hard work should be respected, and there should be transparency in the system so that no talented youth becomes disheartened.” Sachin also appealed to both students and the government to seek solutions through peaceful means.

Actress Kareena Kapoor and South Indian superstar Kamal Haasan have also strongly criticized the police crackdown on students. Likewise, Hollywood actor John Cusack expressed solidarity with the Indian student movement by posting on social media platform X.

Bollywood actor Imran Khan, Pooja Bedi’s daughter and actress Alaya F, rapper Raftaar, and singer Anuv Jain, among others, directly participated in a student solidarity rally held in Mumbai. Similarly, Swara Bhaskar and Kunal Kamra went to the protest site in Delhi to help amplify the students’ voices through social media and the media.

Meanwhile, singer Sonu Nigam, when asked by journalists at a Mumbai event for his reaction to the police crackdown on the ongoing CJP movement, refused to answer, sparking a new controversy.

After hearing the question, Sonu briefly replied, “Why am I here?” and tried to avoid the question, for which he has faced criticism. While other musicians, singers, and artists across India have openly spoken in support of the students, Sonu has been widely criticized on social media for “irresponsibly trying to evade” the issue.

In addition, actors Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Prakash Raj, and Shabana Azmi have continued to pressure the government to immediately fulfill the students’ demands, expressing concern for Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on hunger strike for more than 24 days.

Actress Sonakshi Sinha has emphasized the need to protect the legitimate issues raised by social activist Sonam Wangchuk and the students, while other actresses Huma Qureshi, Nandita Das, and Sutapa Sikdar have also strongly condemned the police crackdown and urged the education minister and government to engage in constructive dialogue with the students.

Similarly, Bollywood artists such as Zeenat Aman, Vir Das, Soni Razdan, Abhay Deol, Zoya Akhtar, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Pooja Bhatt have also expressed solidarity with the student movement.

The Cockroach Janata Party movement is now no longer just a student movement. With artists, actors, musicians, and even literary and intellectual circles expressing solidarity and participating, the international media has also begun to cover the movement with interest.

After Bollywood celebrities supported the student movement, they themselves have faced intense criticism on social media and from pro-government supporters. Pro-government supporters have accused Bollywood celebrities of engaging in “cheap publicity stunts,” commenting that such actions have “added fuel to the fire” of the movement.

They have also harshly criticized Diljit on social media, accusing him of “trying to incite riots in India while living in America” and of having an “anti-India mentality.”

Some critics have claimed that the “Cockroach Party” is merely a digital satire, but that Bollywood celebrities are using it as a weapon to achieve political goals.

As the “Cockroach Movement” spreading in India brings the issues of education and unemployment to the center of national debate, Bollywood is also clearly divided into two camps.

There has also been criticism of Bollywood superstars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, and Deepika Padukone for maintaining complete silence on India’s latest street protests. Many have interpreted their silence as fear of the government or as indirectly ignoring the movement.

Since the start of the movement, actor Shah Rukh Khan has not made any formal or direct statements. However, according to media reports, sources close to him have said that he wants to stay away from any controversy or political color, which is why he has not given an official response. Nevertheless, students participating in the movement have widely shared his past interviews and statements on education on social media.

Similarly, although Aamir Khan has not directly commented on the “Cockroach Movement,” he did raise questions about India’s examination system and transparency during an educational program. According to media reports, he stated that “the future of the country’s youth depends on a transparent and fair system, but if the youth lose faith in that system, it will be dangerous for the country,” thus indirectly addressing the students’ frustration.