Bollywood Rallies Behind Sonam Wangchuk Amid Deteriorating Health

NEW DELHI — Concerns are mounting across the nation as renowned educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar enters its 18th consecutive day. With medical bulletins revealing a critical drop in blood pressure, significant muscle mass loss, and a weight reduction of over 8 kilograms, a wave of prominent Bollywood actors and public intellectuals have stepped forward to plead with the 59-year-old activist to save his life.

Cinematic icons Zeenat Aman, Swara Bhasker, Soni Razdan, and veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah have publicly rallied behind Wangchuk, urging him to transition his protest into a sustainable long-term struggle.

A Marathon, Not a Sprint: The Industry’s Joint Appeal

On Tuesday evening, a collective statement signed by Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, author Arundhati Roy, and economist Jayati Ghosh was released, expressing deep gratitude for Wangchuk’s unwavering courage while explicitly asking him to halt the fast.

"We salute your sense of purpose, the determination and courage with which you are spearheading this movement for students and youth across the country," the statement read. "We request you to please consider ending this hunger strike immediately in the interests of the longer and more difficult struggle ahead. This battle is a marathon, not a sprint, and we need you, your strength and leadership in the days to come."

Swara Bhasker took her solidarity a step further by visiting the Jantar Mantar protest site in person. Sitting alongside Wangchuk, Bhasker shared updates on social media, writing, "The indefatigable Sonam Wangchuk sir is fighting for your children's future. All my solidarity and gratitude."

Meanwhile, legendary actress Zeenat Aman made a passionate appeal, directing her focus toward the establishment and urging the central government to immediately initiate an open dialogue with the weakening activist. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap also voiced his anger over the official handling of the protest, labeling the state's lack of communication as "deafening."

The Core Demands and Medical Urgency

Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28 in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been staging demonstrations for 26 days. The core objectives of the protest stem from massive irregularities and paper leaks reported during the national NEET-UG 2026 medical entrance examinations. The protesters are demanding:

• The immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

• A compensation package of ₹1 crore for the families of students who tragically died by suicide in the wake of the exam leaks.

• The implementation of a sweeping five-point examination reform charter to restore transparency to India's public testing infrastructure.

According to CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, Wangchuk remains under 24-hour medical vigilance and is in immense pain. Despite being begged by colleagues to break the fast, Wangchuk reportedly replied, "Don't ask me to end my fast. Ask the government why they won't even have a dialogue."

High Court Intervention and Next Steps

The critical nature of Wangchuk's health has now moved into the legal arena. The Delhi High Court has officially sought responses from both the Centre and the Delhi government regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed to safeguard the activist's life. The petition requests urgent medical intervention, suggesting the government provide proper hospital care to ensure he survives the ordeal.

As opposition leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, and Arvind Kejriwal echo the film fraternity’s calls for Wangchuk to preserve his health, the CJP has called for a nationwide one-day mass hunger strike on July 16. This will lead up to a planned "Chalo Sansad" (March to Parliament) on July 20, coinciding with the opening day of the Monsoon Session.