‘If the same happens tomorrow, I will...’ Vismaya Mohanlal breaks silence on student protest row

Ahead of her acting debut, Vismaya Mohanlal has spoken publicly for the first time about the criticism she faced after voicing support for students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak issue. The actor and author made it clear that she has no regrets about what she said and continues to stand by her views.

Speaking on FTQ with Rekha Menon, Vismaya said she believes questioning those in power is an essential part of a democracy. She added that disagreements should be resolved through conversation, not force, and that humanity should always come before political differences.

"I stand by what I said. I believe that we are a democracy. We should always be allowed to question and be heard. We should always have dialogue instead of force, and I don't think your politics should ever supersede your humanity. Regardless of which party is in power, if the same happens tomorrow, I would still feel the same way," she said.

Vismaya's remarks refer to a social media post she shared during the student protests, where she questioned the response to citizens raising their voices.

Her post read, "You don't have to agree with the protesters. You don't have to support. But if the response to citizens raising their voices is overwhelming force instead of dialogue, every one of us should stop and ask what kind of democracy we are becoming."

The post quickly became a talking point online, with some supporting her stand while others criticised her for commenting on the issue.

Filmmaker Major Ravi later came out in support of Vismaya, saying her words had been misunderstood. Having known her since childhood, he said her post came from a place of empathy rather than politics.

According to him, Vismaya was deeply affected by what the protesting students were going through, and her comments should be seen as a humanitarian response rather than a political statement.

Actor Tovino Thomas, Asif Ali and Ranjini Haridas were among those who received backlash after expressing support for the demonstrations in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Vismaya is preparing for a new chapter in her career. She will make her acting debut with Jude Anthany Joseph's upcoming film ‘Thudakkam’, which is scheduled to release in theatres on August 7.