The growing show of solidarity from the Malayalam film industry towards the ongoing NEET-UG student protests has triggered a strong backlash from sections of the public. On Wednesday, actor Tovino Thomas faced a demonstration outside his residence in Irinjalakuda, while Vismaya Mohanlal continued to receive abusive messages on social media over her recent post condemning the handling of the student protests.
Protests and online backlash follow public statements
Eight BJP Yuva Morcha workers gathered outside Tovino’s home carrying placards that criticised the actor for speaking out in support of the students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The demonstrators accused him of selectively commenting on public issues, with one placard questioning why he had not extended similar support to protesters demonstrating outside the Kerala Secretariat over concerns related to the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC).
The protest came a day after Tovino strongly criticised the police action against the students. Sharing his views on social media, the ARM actor described the crackdown as “certainly not the way to handle a peaceful protest” and questioned what the students had done to warrant such treatment.
He further wrote, “the right to dissent is not a threat to democracy; in fact, it is one of its foundations”, before concluding his statement with, “My politics is humanity. My belief is peace. Jai Hind.”
Vismaya Mohanlal faces cyber attacks
Vismaya Mohanlal, who is preparing to make her acting debut with Thudakkam, also found herself at the centre of controversy after sharing an Instagram Story expressing concern over the authorities’ response to the protests.
Her post referred to reports of tear gas, lathi charges, injuries to students, road closures, metro station closures and internet suspension before asking, “Do you genuinely believe this is how a democracy should respond to its own citizens?” She also stressed that people need not agree with the protesters’ demands to question the use of force against them.
The post quickly attracted intense reactions online. Vismaya’s social media accounts were flooded with abusive comments, with several users criticising her for taking a political stand before the release of her debut film. Others labelled her “anti-national”, called for a boycott of Thudakkam and directed derogatory remarks at both Vismaya and her father, veteran actor Mohanlal. Neither Vismaya nor Mohanlal has publicly responded to the online abuse.
The incidents come at a time when support for the student movement within the Malayalam film industry has grown significantly. Over the past several days, a number of leading actors and filmmakers have voiced solidarity with the students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak and the police action during demonstrations in the national capital.
Apart from Tovino Thomas and Vismaya Mohanlal, actors Parvathy Thiruvothu, Dulquer Salmaan, Asif Ali, Kunchacko Boban, Naslen, Nazriya Nazim, Anaswara Rajan, Shane Nigam, Nikhila Vimal, Soubin Shahir, Rajisha Vijayan and Indrajith Sukumaran are among those who have publicly backed the movement.
As support from the Malayalam film fraternity continues to grow, so too has the criticism from sections of social media and political groups. The developments underline how the debate surrounding the NEET-UG protests has increasingly extended beyond student circles, drawing in some of the country’s biggest cultural figures and sparking wider conversations about dissent, free expression and the role of public personalities in political discourse.
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