Rajkummar Rao has triggered a fresh social media debate after deleting a comment in which he appeared to respond to the criticism for his association with the song ‘Modi Hai Toh Mumkin Hai’. It came at a time when he is a vocal supporter of the actor’s public show of support for the recent noisy protests by students in Delhi to protest against the NEET-UG in which a lot of violations have been reported by the media in Delhi over the previous few years.
Rao took to Instagram yesterday to express support for the students protesting in the national capital. He said he was calling for peace, dialogue and compassion as tensions continue to rise around the student-led movement spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
However, the conversation soon turned to the actor’s participation in the song for which Bollywood celebrities were present. A social media user commented on Rao’s post and said he was unhappy with his portrayal in what he called a propaganda song.
The user said they had previously held Rao in high esteem but decided his participation in the song had weighed on them. The comment also asked why this actor, who was seen by the user as a representative of the younger generation of artists, had agreed to participate.
Rao responded to the comment, but deleted his reply. Screenshots of the exchange were shared by several social media users before the comment disappeared.
In the deleted response, Rao wrote that he would never “sell his soul” and that one song did not define his identity, beliefs or ideology, he said. The actor also added, “You can never know the pressure,” which some users speculated that he might have been talking about pressure around his participation in the song.
Rao did not say explicitly that he was forced to participate in the song nor did he confirm the interpretation which quickly appeared online. The comment was later removed, leaving the exact context of the remark open to speculation.
### Rajkummar Rao Appeals for Dialogue
Rao focused on the ongoing student protests in his original Instagram post and told demonstrators and authorities not to conflict.
As long as young people feel unheard, a human must listen to them, and be fair and respectful of them. He also said violence from any side could deepen the crisis and take the country further away from a solution.
Rao said students should be concerned to report their problems and that authorities must respond to them with empathy, openness and real willingness to dialogue.
He said if an educated and fair education system is to achieve India's progress, it needs to be done in a fair way.
The actor's comments come after massive protests in Delhi over alleged examination irregularities and demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Protests intensified when a ‘Chalo Sansad’ march turned into clashes between protesters and police.
Several Bollywood personalities have voiced their support for the students’ concerns and urged calm. The debate about Rao’s deleted comment has now added another layer to the larger discussion about celebrity engagement in political campaigns, public pressure and the expectations placed on actors in India’s increasingly polarised public discourse.
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