As climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk continues his indefinite hunger strike, actor Swara Bhasker has spoken openly about why she believes most of the Hindi film industry has stayed away from the protest.
Swara visited Wangchuk at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where he has been on a fast, and shared her views during a media interaction. She said many actors are choosing to remain silent because they fear facing consequences for speaking against the government.
Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike enters 20th day
Sonam Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28. As protest entered its 20th day, concerns about his health continued to grow.
The activist is demanding resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including NEET paper leak. Along with accountability, Wangchuk has also called for wider reforms to India’s examination system.
His protest has attracted public attention, but support from the Hindi film industry has remained limited.
Swara Bhasker says fear is keeping Bollywood quiet
During the interaction, Swara was asked why Bollywood had not shown the same level of support for Wangchuk’s protest as it did during Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement in 2011.
Replying to the question, the actor said many people in the film industry are scared of the consequences of speaking publicly.
She said actors have seen what happened to her after expressing her views in the past and believe they could face similar treatment if they speak out. According to Swara, this fear has made many celebrities avoid joining the protest or commenting on it.
Compares today’s situation with 2011
Swara also compared the present political atmosphere with the time when Anna Hazare’s movement received support from several Bollywood personalities.
She said the situation during 2010 and 2011 was different because a different government was in power. While she acknowledged that every government may have made mistakes or faced corruption allegations, she argued that the current situation has become much more serious.
According to her, today’s environment is one where activists and students can be jailed for long periods that too without bail or proper justification. She suggested that this fear has changed how public figures respond to political and social movements.
Mentions Stan Swamy
During her remarks, Swara also referred to tribal rights activist Father Stan Swamy, who died in judicial custody in 2021.
She said his death reflected the nature of the current system and criticised the government’s handling of dissent. Swara further accused the government of acting with arrogance and a lack of accountability while responding to protests and criticism.
‘Don’t depend on celebrities’
Although she expressed disappointment over the lack of support from the entertainment industry, Swara said people should not depend on celebrities to give importance to a public issue.
She said a cause does not become meaningful only when famous personalities endorse it. According to her, issues that affect society remain important on their own, regardless of whether actors or other public figures speak about them.
Swara also made it clear that she was not judging individual actors for staying away from the protest.
‘I Came as a citizen and a mother’
The actor explained that she did not attend the protest because she is a celebrity. Instead, she said she joined as an ordinary citizen who is concerned about the future of the country.
Swara also said the issue is deeply personal because it has to do with the future of her daughter. She added that she wants her child to grow up, study and build a life in India with the same opportunities that she received.
She said she does not want to reach a stage where she feels forced to leave the country or shift abroad, mentioning Dubai’s Golden Visa while explaining her concerns. According to Swara, her hope is that her daughter can continue to live, learn and succeed in India.