Tamil actor Sanam Shetty found herself at the centre of controversy after she was booed off-stage during a student protest in Chennai. The actor, who participated in the demonstration, faced a strong reaction from protesters after mentioning Thalapathy Vijay’s film Jana Nayagan during her speech.
Tamil actor faces backlash for mentioning Jana Nayagan
Addressing the gathering, Sanam said she had come to support the students and accused people of using the platform for political agendas. She also mentioned that she was a Vijay fan and had watched Jana Nayagan on its first day, first show.
#SanamShetty:”I have came here to support students. Those who are doing NEET protest for political purpose are Jokers. I’m fan of #ThalapathyVijay & came here to protest after watching #JanaNayagan FDFS”
Protesters asked to stop her speech and grabbed the mic as soon as she…
— AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) July 24, 2026
“This protest is for the sake of the students. It is my duty to support them, so I have come here. Anyone who uses this for their political agenda is the joker, we aren’t. I’m a Thalapathy fan. I came to the protest after watching the film FDFS,” she said.
Her comments did not go down well with some protesters, who began booing her and interrupted her speech. Videos from the protest show attendees reacting with thumbs-down gestures and laughter as Sanam continued speaking. The organisers eventually stepped in and took away her microphone, bringing her speech to an end.
Actor questions protest conduct
Speaking to the press outside the protest venue, Sanam expressed disappointment over the incident and questioned whether the platform was truly allowing different opinions.
“Thank you. This is not democracy. Every citizen has freedom of speech. Now, do you understand what I’m talking about? I don’t care. When you protest as an organic student, I will speak for the students,” she said.
The actor further questioned why watching a film or supporting Vijay should become a reason for criticism. She also brought up filmmaker Vetrimaaran, who has previously expressed support for student-related causes, asking whether he too would be called a “joker” for his views.
I Dont Become A Joker – Sanam Shetty https://t.co/Fpg6arUioO pic.twitter.com/TjXJbGQVyi
— Vignesh Theni (@Vignesh_twitz) July 25, 2026
“Just because I watched a movie of my favourite star, I don’t become a joker. If you really believe in a democracy, then you should allow me to speak out freely,” she added.
Sanam clarified that her support remained with the students and also praised activist Sonam Wangchuk, but criticised the manner in which her speech was handled.
The student protests, which began in Delhi over alleged NEET examination irregularities, have since spread to multiple cities. Several personalities from the entertainment industry have extended support to the movement, while rapper Arivu also participated in a protest in Chennai before being detained. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25 following mounting pressure over the issue.
