23 July,2026 04:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ayesha Khan. Pic via Instagram
Dhurandhar actor Ayesha Khan has hit back at a social media user who warned that supporting the ongoing student protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination could cost her work in Bollywood. The actor, who recently claimed she was detained by Mumbai Police while participating in a demonstration, made it clear that she has no regrets about speaking up.
After sharing videos from the protest on her Instagram Stories, Ayesha received a direct message that read, "No work for you in Bollywood now."
The actor responded by sharing a screenshot of the message on her Story and writing, "I would rather lose my career than losing my spine. Scare someone else, thank you, bye bye."
Earlier in the day, Ayesha documented her experience at the protest through a series of Instagram Stories, claiming she was detained despite peacefully standing on the roadside.
In one video, she is seen asking police officers where they were being taken but does not receive a response. Another clip shows four women police personnel escorting her into a police van. Sharing the video, she questioned the reason behind the action.
"Unfortunately it took 4 police women to pull me in. But I ask the same question again, why? Did I make a noise? Did I even start a conversation? Detained me for what? For standing in the road? Wasn't even in the group of 5," she wrote.
Ayesha later shared another video revealing that she and others had been taken to Worli Police Station. According to the actor, she had reached Dadar with her brother and friends to support students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak. She claimed police first detained her brother and male friends before asking her and others to board a police van. Despite questioning the detention, Ayesha praised the officers at the police station, describing them as "sweet."
Ayesha is among several members of the entertainment industry who have voiced support for the student protest in recent days. Salman Khan, Anupam Kher, Sonakshi Sinha, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh and Aditi Rao Hydari have all shared messages backing the students. Earlier this week, Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj and rapper Hanumankind joined the Chalo Sansad march in New Delhi, while Huma Qureshi, Saqib Saleem and Shalini Pandey participated in demonstrations in Mumbai.
The protests, which began over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, continue across the country with students demanding accountability and wider reforms in the education system.
