'You were almost disdainful towards teachers': Bhumi Pednekar's former acting coach amid NEET row

What began as criticism over Bhumi Pednekar's comments on the NEET-UG 2026 protests has now taken a deeply personal turn.

The actor is facing fresh scrutiny after a woman claiming to have briefly taught her at a Mumbai-based film school publicly recalled her as a 'disrespectful' student, questioning whether her recent emphasis on 'respect and responsibility' reflects a genuine change in outlook.

Spiritual psychotherapist Shruti Desai shared a strongly worded post on social media, saying she remembered Pednekar being 'almost disdainful' towards her teachers during her time at the institute.

'@Pednekarsatishpednekkar I remember I was, briefly, one of your teachers at a Mumbai-based film school. Unfortunately for me, I also remember how disrespectful, almost disdainful, you were about your teachers. Care to explain your new approach towards the concepts of respect and responsibility and how your worldview changed so drastically in the interim?' Desai wrote.

Her remarks quickly gained traction online, adding another layer to the controversy surrounding Pednekar's recent social media posts on the NEET-UG protest issue.

The internet, however, appeared sharply divided. While several users applauded Desai for speaking out, others questioned the fairness of judging the actor based on her behaviour as a teenager.

Some argued that people evolve and criticised the former teacher for revisiting incidents from years ago instead of acknowledging that possibility.

The latest debate stems from Pednekar's video addressing the NEET-UG 2026 protests, in which she condemned abusive slogans directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Calling such language unacceptable, she maintained that meaningful change should be pursued through respectful dialogue rather than personal attacks.

Her remarks drew widespread criticism, with detractors accusing her of ignoring the police action allegedly faced by students during the July 20 Sansad March.

Many argued that while she objected to the language used against the Prime Minister, she did not comment on reports of protesters being lathi-charged, tear-gassed and forcibly dispersed.

As criticism mounted, Pednekar posted another video on August 3, condemning the alleged rape and death threats issued to a young female protester.

Describing the threats as unacceptable, she said she was disturbed after watching the student's interview and appealed for an end to such aggression.

The clarification, however, did little to calm the backlash. Many social media users labelled it 'damage control', while others accused the actor of selective outrage for speaking about the conduct of protesters without addressing the issues that had sparked the student-led demonstrations.

Desai's intervention has now further polarised the debate, with supporters calling her comments an honest recollection and critics insisting that a person's teenage behaviour should not define their present character.