Actor Ayesha Khan has responded strongly after a social media user warned that supporting the ongoing Mumbai student protest could cost her work in Bollywood. The Dhurandhar actor, who was detained by Mumbai Police while attempting to join the demonstration on July 22, shared a screenshot of the message on Instagram and made it clear that she had no regrets about speaking up.
The actor has been actively posting updates from the protest on social media ever since she was detained.
Ayesha Khan Responds To Bollywood Work Warning: ‘I Would Rather Lose…’
The latest exchange began after Ayesha shared videos and updates from the Mumbai student protest on her Instagram Stories. Following her posts, a social media user sent her a direct message that read, “No work for you in Bollywood now.”
Rather than ignoring the message, Ayesha shared a screenshot of it on her Instagram Stories and responded with a firm statement.
“I would rather lose my career than lose my spine. Scare someone else, thank you, bye bye.”
Ayesha Khan Says She Was Detained Before Joining The Protest
Earlier, Ayesha had shared a video explaining what happened on the day of the protest.
According to the actor, she reached the protest site in Mumbai at around 4 PM on Wednesday with her brother and a group of friends. She claimed that before she could even participate in the demonstration, a police officer informed her that protesting at the location would not be allowed.
Ayesha said she asked the officer, “Bata dijiye dusra aur kya raasta hain (Please tell us what is the other option)?” She claimed that instead of receiving an explanation, police personnel instructed her and those accompanying her to get inside a police van.
Describing the alleged detention, Ayesha said, “I was pulled by 4-5 women. I used all my strength to try not getting into the van but they pulled us in.”
She further claimed that neither she nor her friends were told why they were being detained.
“Poorey van mein hum poochte rahein ki aap ne humein kyu detain kiya hain? Humne galti kya kiya hain? No answer, no accountability, nothing. Kisi ne koi jawab nahi diya aur humein Dadar se door Worli lekar aaye (Throughout the journey, we kept asking why we were being detained. What had we done wrong? There was no answer, no accountability—nothing. No one gave us a reply, and they took us from Dadar to Worli).”
Why Are Students Protesting?
The demonstration Ayesha attempted grew out of demonstrations that first began in Delhi. The movement was launched over allegations surrounding the NEET paper leak with students demanding accountability and seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Over the past few weeks, the protests have expanded beyond Delhi, with solidarity marches and demonstrations taking place in several cities.
