India’s biggest stars, quietest voices: Why Bollywood icons Ranveer Singh, , Salman, Ranbir, Shah Rukh, or Aamir stay silent as students rage over NEET

Dubai: When the alleged NEET-UG paper leak triggered nationwide protests, millions of students found their voices. Parents took to the streets. Teachers, activists and education experts weighed in. Politicians including actor-turned-parliamentarian Kangana Ranaut debated the issue. Social media became a battleground of anger, anxiety and demands for accountability.

But here's the interesting part: Only a handful of Indian actors joined the conversation. Veteran actress and activist Shabana Azmi,75, stood with protesting students and is standing tall despite feeling dizzy. Actress Sonakshi Sinha said she could not remain silent and put out a video expressing solidarity with the disillusioned student protestors. Emmy winning comedian Vir Das even cracked a joke about how a Bollywood movie will soon be made on this branding the young protestors as anti-nationals. Malayali show host and actress Ranjini Haridas flew to Delhi from Kerala to participate in the protests. Others, including Anurag Kashyap, Dia Mirza, Sonu Sood and Hrithik Roshan, also publicly expressed support for students. Director Anurag Kashyap even went to the extent of slamming the police force for using brute strength and accused them of 'selling their souls'.

But many of India's biggest stars like Ranveer Singh, Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan (who quietly distanced himself from the issue), Deepika Padukone and many more remained largely silent.

But this isn't about Bollywood. Nor is it about Malayalam cinema, Tamil cinema, Telugu cinema or any one film industry.

It is about a culture that seems to have taken root across Indian cinema—a culture where the bigger the star, the quieter they become whenever the country finds itself in the middle of a difficult conversation.

This pattern has repeated itself often enough to be impossible to ignore.

Whether it was the #MeToo movement in Indian cinema, the Hema Committee report that exposed uncomfortable questions about power and accountability in Malayalam cinema, the farmers' protests, the Citizenship Amendment Act protests, or now the NEET controversy, the loudest voices have often come not from the industry's biggest superstars but from a relatively small group of actors willing to speak despite the backlash that may follow.

Every generation has had its exceptions. Shabana Azmi has consistently spoken on issues she believes in. Naseeruddin Shah has rarely shied away from expressing uncomfortable opinions. Prakash Raj has frequently used his platform to comment on public affairs and is mostly anti-establishment in his rants. Across languages, there have always been actors willing to risk criticism for saying what they believe.

But they remain the exceptions rather than the rule.

The silence of India's biggest stars becomes more noticeable precisely because of the influence they command. These are not just actors. They are among the country's most recognisable public figures. Collectively, they reach hundreds of millions of people through cinema, television, advertising campaigns and social media. They are the first ones who often purchase tickets to watch these idols on the big screen.

No one is suggesting that celebrities should become political commentators. Nor should every actor be expected to react to every news event. There is no rulebook that says fame comes with a duty to issue statements.

But there are moments that transcend politics. When students question the integrity of the country's most important entrance examination, when women speak out about abuse within an industry, or when an issue fundamentally affects public trust, remaining silent is also a choice. Silence is not the absence of a position; it is, in itself, a public position.

Hollywood offers an interesting contrast.

Its stars disagree fiercely on politics, but many rarely shy away from public conversations. From Black Lives Matter and #MeToo to climate change, gun violence, reproductive rights, humanitarian crises and labour strikes, some of Hollywood's biggest names have openly campaigned, signed petitions, attended protests or addressed audiences directly. They often face criticism, lose followers and attract controversy, yet many continue to speak because they believe their influence carries responsibility.

Indian cinema operates under different pressures. The country's stars are not just entertainers, they are massive brands. They endorse everything from soft drinks to luxury watches to fairness creams and appeal to audiences across states, languages and political beliefs. Every public statement is scrutinised, every appearance dissected and every opinion amplified.

Perhaps no recent example illustrates the risks better than Deepika Padukone's visit to Jawaharlal Nehru University during the release of Chhapaak in 2020. She did not make a speech, but her presence alone triggered a political firestorm, boycott calls and weeks of polarised debate. For many in the industry, it became a reminder of how quickly a public gesture can overshadow a film's release and invite intense scrutiny.

The latest Sonam Wangchuk episode has reinforced that caution. For years, many viewers associated Aamir Khan's character Phunsukh Wangdu in 3 Idiots with the education reformer. Yet, as Wangchuk's hunger strike drew national attention, Khan clarified that neither he nor the filmmakers had based the character on Wangchuk, calling the connection "a misconception," even as he expressed concern for Wangchuk's health and said he respected his work. The clarification itself became a headline, underscoring how even attempting to explain a position can pull a star into the centre of a political and cultural debate.

Whether they choose to speak, remain silent or simply clarify their position, India's biggest stars operate in an environment where every public move carries consequences. In such a climate, silence can appear to be the safest strategy—even if it is not always the most meaningful one.

Perhaps that's why they prefer to lie low and not take a stand publicly. Perhaps silence has become the safest public relations strategy in an increasingly polarised environment.

In the past, when icons like Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan had taken a stand on political issues, the backlash was swift. Their movies were boycotted, their effigies burnt, their families threatened, and endorsement deals disappeared. This was back in the 1990s. But today, we live in an entirely different climate and landscape. Now they have, perhaps, learned to play it safe.

Interestingly, safety is never the quality that audiences admire most in their heroes on-screen.

Indian cinema has built its biggest stars on stories of courage. They have played lawyers who fought injustice, teachers who inspired change, journalists who exposed corruption, police officers who challenged power and ordinary citizens who stood up for what was right. On screen, they rarely hesitate to confront difficult truths.

Off screen, however, the script often changes. This is not an argument that every celebrity must become an activist. Nor is it a demand that actors choose sides in every public debate.

It is simply a question worth asking.

When millions of young Indians are looking for reassurance, accountability or even empathy, what is the role of those with the country's biggest platforms?

Perhaps the answer is that celebrities owe us nothing beyond their performances.

Or perhaps extraordinary influence comes with an equally extraordinary opportunity—to use it when it matters most.

Either way, silence should no longer be mistaken for neutrality.

It is a choice. And like every choice made in public, it says something