Mumbai: Days after Bhumi Pednekar faced backlash for her remarks on the CJP-led NEET-UG 2026 protests, the actor has found herself at the centre of another controversy.
In a social media post, Bhumi’s former acting coach, Shruti Desai, criticised the actor’s comments on student protesters, alleging that Bhumi herself had been disrespectful towards teachers during her time at a Mumbai-based acting school.
Desai wrote, “@bhumisatishpednekkar I remember, I was, briefly, one of your teachers at a Mumbai-based film school. Unfortunately for me, I also remember how disrespectful, almost disdainful, you were about your teachers. Care to explain your new approach towards the concepts of respect and responsibility and how your world-view changed so drastically in the interim?”
View this post on Instagram
The post comes days after Bhumi shared a video condemning the abusive language used against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the protest.
She said, “Looking at the videos surfacing now, the kind of language being used, and the way the youth of our country are speaking… this isn’t how we talk. We are talking about someone who holds the highest office in the land today. And it’s not just about the office; would we ever speak like this to the elders in our own homes? Can we really resort to using abusive language?”
She further added, “Guys, this isn’t our culture. It’s wrong, and this really bothered me. That’s why I wanted to come forward and address it. A country will only progress when, collectively and unitedly, we discuss both our flaws and our strengths. Our culture and value system form our backbone. We shouldn’t stray from them, otherwise we won’t be able to communicate the right things in the right way or bring about meaningful change.”
Bhumi’s remarks drew widespread criticism online, with many social media users questioning why she chose to speak out about the language used during the protest while remaining largely silent on the students’ demands.
Several also criticised the actor for not commenting on the Sansad March, during which protesters alleged they were subjected to baton charges and pellet guns.
Following the backlash, Bhumi shared another video condemning the rape and death threats allegedly directed at female protesters, calling out online abuse and intimidation.
“I saw a video on the Internet in which a young girl who was part of the protest was giving an interview, and she looked visibly broken and shaken. One of her videos went viral, and since then she has been receiving rape and death threats. Even her mother has faced the same. This is unacceptable. We cannot bully a young girl. We cannot create fear in a young child’s mind just because we don’t agree with their opinion,” she said.
However, the follow-up video also received mixed reactions. While many appreciated Bhumi’s condemnation of rape and death threats against female protesters, others felt it came only after the backlash over her earlier remarks.
Several social media users argued that the actor had still not addressed the issues at the heart of the students’ protest.
View this post on Instagram
