As the student-led protests over the alleged NEET paper leak continue at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, more members of the Malayalam film industry have come out in support of the demonstrators, condemning the police action against students and calling for accountability.
Actors Tovino Thomas, Parvathy Thiruvothu and Vismaya Mohanlal were among the first prominent voices from Malayalam cinema to speak out against the alleged police action at the CJP protests. Their statements have since been followed by an unprecedented wave of support from across the industry, with several younger actors, filmmakers and technicians publicly backing the students.
In the days since, support has snowballed within the Malayalam film fraternity. Kunchacko Boban, Naslen, Anaswara Rajan, Nazriya Nazim, Murali Gopy, Chandu Salimkumar, Hashir, Sandeep Pradeep, Rima Kallingal, Amal Neerad, Sharaf U Dheen, Nikhila Vimal, Priya Prakash Varrier, Shane Nigam, Grace Antony, Rajisha Vijayan, Mathew Thomas, Kalyani Panicker, Soubin Shahir, Rahman, Divya Prabha, Vipin Das, Indrajith Sukumaran and Vishak Nair are among those who have voiced their support for the students. Most of them have been amplifying videos, reels and first-hand visuals from the protests through social media, drawing attention to the alleged police violence while expressing solidarity with the students.
The scale of the response from Malayalam cinema has been particularly striking. Compared with other film industries in the country, the Malayalam fraternity has witnessed one of the largest collective expressions of support for the ongoing protests, with more personalities continuing to join the chorus even as demonstrations persist at Jantar Mantar.
Several actors and filmmakers have also faced criticism and online backlash from right-wing-aligned social media users over their posts. Despite the trolling, support for the students has continued to pour in, with many choosing to stand by their statements.
The protests intensified after educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a 21-day hunger strike demanding accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak, was removed from Jantar Mantar. The subsequent police action during the 'Chalo Sansad' march has drawn widespread criticism, with support for the protesting students continuing to grow across the country.