Rajkummar Rao's alleged Instagram reply goes viral after post supporting NEET protesters
Actor Rajkummar Rao has found himself at the centre of an online debate after a screenshot of an alleged Instagram comment attributed to him went viral. The purported reply, featuring the line, "You can never know the pressure," began circulating after Rao shared a post supporting students protesting the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. While many social media users linked the remark to his appearance in last year's Modi Hai Toh Mumkin Hai song, neither Rao nor his team has confirmed the authenticity of the screenshots.
The controversy began after Rao posted a message expressing solidarity with the ongoing student protests in New Delhi, calling for peace, dialogue and compassion. In response, an Instagram user criticised the actor for appearing in the pro-government song, which also featured several Bollywood celebrities.
The user, @om.ar510, commented, "I had huge respect for you man... you lost it with one propaganda song!!! I never miss any of your movies, never thought you would sold off so easily, you were supposed to lead the new generation of artists... instead (sic)!!!"
Soon after, screenshots claiming to show Rao's reply spread widely across social media. According to the viral images, the actor responded:
"I can never sell my soul brother. And one song does not define who I am, what I stand for or what my ideologies in life are. You can never know the pressure. I stand for what is right and what keeps us united as human beings. As long as my conscience is clean, and I work the hardest, nothing else matters. People who know me personally know who I am and, hopefully, one day I'll be able to earn back your respect. I wish you luck and happiness in life. God bless you (sic)."
The phrase "You can never know the pressure" quickly became the focal point of online discussion, with many users speculating that Rao was referring to pressure surrounding his participation in the Modi Hai Toh Mumkin Hai song.
However, the actor has not publicly addressed the screenshots or clarified the context of the alleged remark.
What did Rajkummar Rao say in his post?
In his original post supporting the student protests, Rao appealed for empathy and dialogue, stressing the importance of a fair education system.
"When young people feel unheard, it is a reminder that society must listen. Every voice deserves to be heard with dignity, fairness and respect. At the same time, peace must remain our greatest strength. Violence, from any side, only deepens wounds and takes us further away from meaningful solutions. This is a moment for dialogue and compassion (sic)," he wrote.
He further added:
"Let students express themselves responsibly. Let authorities respond with empathy, openness and a genuine willingness to listen. Real and lasting change is built through conversation, not confrontation. That is what is needed now – more than ever. All of us collectively want one thing: growth for our nation, and the foundation for that growth is fair education. Jai Hind (sic)."
Rao's team verified whether the viral screenshots were genuine or whether the alleged comment had been posted and later deleted. The team neither confirmed nor denied their authenticity, stating that they would respond later.
The discussion comes amid heightened public attention over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and the student protests that followed. Earlier this week, Delhi Police clashed with thousands of demonstrators during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) "Chalo Sansad" march, which demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged examination irregularities.
Several members of the film industry, including Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ananya Panday, Varun Dhawan, R. Madhavan, Sonakshi Sinha, Naseeruddin Shah and Imran Khan, have also voiced support for the students while urging that the protests remain peaceful.
