New Delhi: A fresh debate over celebrity activism has erupted online after several Bollywood personalities posted in support of students participating in the CJP-led protests, shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly addressed the issue.

The timing of the posts quickly became the biggest talking point, with social media users asking one question repeatedly: 'Why now?' 

Among those who spoke out were Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ananya Panday and R Madhavan, each sharing messages about students, education and the need for fairness.

Bhatt wrote about the dreams and sacrifices behind every student participating in the protests. Kareena Kapoor Khan said young people deserve to be heard and stressed the importance of honesty, hard work and merit in education.

Panday reflected on Gen Z challenging long-held systems, saying the younger generation is no longer willing to accept things simply because 'this is how it's always been.'

Instead of receiving unanimous support, however, the posts triggered sharp criticism over their timing.

Comments under Bhatt's post included, 'Too late, it's not a trend to jump on,' while another user wrote, 'Modi ji tweets and everyone starts talking.'

Kareena Kapoor Khan's post also attracted remarks questioning why she had remained silent for days, with one comment sarcastically suggesting it had been approved by a PR team. Others even joked that the statement looked as though it had been generated using ChatGPT.

Panday faced similar reactions, with users posting comments such as 'Too late dear princess!' and questioning whether celebrities had received a common script.

R Madhavan encountered a different criticism. Many users referenced his role in 'Rang De Basanti', questioning whether the values portrayed by his on-screen characters aligned with his response to the current protests.

The discussion, however, is not limited to celebrities who have spoken.

As more actors posted statements, attention shifted to those who have remained silent. Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan have all faced questions online over their lack of public comment.

A viral post addressed to Shah Rukh Khan, written from the perspective of a fan, contrasted the socially conscious themes of films such as 'Swades', 'Dil Se' and 'Chak De! India' with his silence on the ongoing protests, asking whether his public persona reflected the ideals associated with those iconic characters.

At the same time, several celebrities had already expressed solidarity with the students before the latest wave of reactions. Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj visited the protest site at Jantar Mantar, while Atul Kulkarni, Sonu Sood, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, Preity Zinta, Vir Das, Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, Mammootty, Dulquer Salmaan, Tovino Thomas, Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan, Sonakshi Sinha, Dia Mirza, Armaan Malik, Karishma Tanna and Rupali Ganguly also voiced support or commented on the issue.

The CJP-led protests have mobilised students across India through the 'Chalo Sansad' campaign, demanding accountability over alleged NEET irregularities and reforms in the education system.

Demonstrations in Delhi and Mumbai have seen detentions, police action, lathi charges and tear gas, while images such as model Rhiya Ahir standing before a police van have become symbolic of the movement.

As the online debate continues, two questions now dominate the conversation around celebrity involvement: 'Why now?' for those who spoke after the Prime Minister's post, and 'Why silent?' for those who are yet to respond.