29 July,2026 08:06 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Kangana Ranaut and Sonu Sood. Pics via Instagram
After BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut made controversial remarks on Gen Z protesters following the student protests over the NEET paper leak, Sonu Sood has now reacted to her statements. The actor called her remarks "shameful," adding that young people should be treated with respect since they are the ones who shape public figures.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Sonu was speaking to reporters when he said that he had not initially heard Kangana's comments; however, he stressed that public support is what decides a person's standing, regardless of profession.
Sonu said, "I haven't heard her statement. But I feel that these young people are the ones who make actors, and they are the ones who help you reach this position." He added, "As long as they stand by you, you will continue to thrive. If they are not with you, it becomes difficult. That's why everyone should be taken along."
Talking about the link between public figures and the people who support them, Sonu said, "Whatever your profession may be, whether you are an actor, a doctor, or anything else, your existence in this world has meaning only as long as people are connected with you."
When a reporter informed Sonu that Kangana had referred to Gen Z as "Generation Gutter", the Dabangg actor said, "If she has said that, then I think it is very shameful. It should not have been said." He further urged everyone to be careful about the words they use, saying, "There is a saying, 'Tol mol ke bol' (weigh your words before speaking). It is very important to think carefully before you speak because the public is another form of God."
The controversy started after Kangana shared a series of Instagram stories reacting to videos of the slogans, posters and social media posts made during the protests. In one of the notes she wrote, "Never in my life have I seen so much ugliness in one place. These reels from Gen Z protests are puke-inducing. The way they speak and the kind of language they are using... never in my life have I seen everything in each and every frame so jarring and so crass all at once."
Kangana further wrote, "I call them Generation Gutter. Some of them have nothing to offer to the system. They are not good at studies. They are so ugly and corrupt that they can't even be homemakers." Her remarks have since drawn widespread criticism online, while Sonu Sood has said such language should not have been used and that young people, whose support shapes public life, should be spoken to with care and respect.
