Actor Bhumi Pednekar has faced fresh criticism after her comments on the NEET-UG 2026 protests drew renewed attention online. A woman who says she briefly taught Bhumi at a Mumbai acting school has now questioned the actor’s views on respect and responsibility.
According to News18, spiritual psychotherapist Shruti Desai claimed on Instagram that she taught Bhumi during her teenage years. Referring to the actor’s recent remarks, Desai questioned what she described as a change in Bhumi’s perspective and recalled what she called her former student’s “disrespectful” behaviour.
Desai’s post drew mixed reactions online. Some users praised her for speaking out, while others questioned the fairness of judging Bhumi over incidents from her teenage years. One user wrote, “So according to you, if someone is disrespectful and callous in younger days, should they be the same throughout their life?” Another commented, “This is gold.” A third wrote, “And targeting a 15-year-old girl at that, instead of offering two words of support to her.” Another user thanked Desai for “saying it as it is”.
The controversy follows Bhumi’s social media posts about the NEET-UG 2026 protests. In one video, she criticised abusive slogans directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said disrespectful language towards the country’s highest constitutional office was unacceptable.
She also called for disagreements to remain civil and respectful rather than becoming personal attacks.
Her comments, however, triggered a backlash. Critics accused her of presenting only one side of the issue and questioned why she did not address allegations of police action during the 20 July Sansad March.
Several users pointed to reports of lathi charges, tear gas and the forcible dispersal of protesters, arguing that Bhumi’s videos did not address those allegations.
