Protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar: Imran Khan detained in Mumbai; Prakash Raj says "Frands how long will you stop the river"

As protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar intensified on October 10, several Bollywood personalities including Imran Khan, Prakash Raj, Anurag Kashyap and Vishal Dadlani expressed their reactions.

While Khan was detained in Mumbai, others criticized the police crackdown and expressed solidarity with protesters who opposed the electoral roll revision.

Bollywood reacts to anti-CEC protests

Actor Imran Khan was detained by the Mumbai police on Saturday, October 10, during a demonstration at the August Maidan Kranti in support of the protest movement.

Quick answers to key questions

•5 QUESTIONS

Protesters oppose the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying there were irregularities in how it was carried out. They are demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and accountability for the process.

SIR is an Electoral Commission exercise to verify electoral rolls. The commission described it as a verification exercise, while critics questioned its implementation and raised concerns about changes in the electoral roll.

Yes. Mumbai Police detained Imran Khan during a demonstration at August Kranti Maidan on 10 October. He shared a selfie from a police van with the caption: ‘I’m probably going for a ride.

Prakash Raj condemned the detention and called for the cancellation of the SIR process. Anurag Kashyap and Vishal Dadlani expressed support for the protesters, while several other film personalities criticized the police response or expressed solidarity.

Not according to CJP Co-Conference Saurav Das, who said the agitation will continue until the group’s demands are resolved. These requests include SIR investigations and changes to the election process.

The actor shared a selfie from the police van with the caption, “I guess I’m going for a ride. The incident became one of the most significant events of the day involving the film industry.”

According to The Indian Express, hundreds of protesters were detained in Mumbai as police cordoned off the protest site.

Read also | Can Gyanesh Kumar be prosecuted? Explanation of Section 16 of the CEC Act

Several other film personalities criticized the police response. Actor Prakash Raj condemned the arrest and called for the cancellation of the SIR trial.

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap supported the protesters on Instagram, writing, “To Darpok, 40,000 ghulam, Lakhon bahadur,” while directing his followers to cover student leader Neha Bora before her arrest.

Actor Richa Chadha shared a satirical makeup tutorial on avoiding facial recognition cameras.

Screengrab from Richa’s latest Instagram story. (Instagram)

Filmmaker Shirish Kunder wrote on X: “When even children start mocking you, it’s time to realize that absolutely no one is afraid of you anymore (sic).

Singer-songwriter Vishal Dadlani also criticized the crackdown in an Instagram video, questioning the scale of the security response and its impact on citizens’ right to protest.

Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane shared posts condemning the detentions, while actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub posted a Hindi translation of a poem by German playwright Bertolt Brecht in solidarity with the protesters.

Vikramaditya Motwane’s Instagram Stories. Vikramaditya Motwane’s Instagram Stories.

Comedian Vir Das shared a screenshot explaining the Streisand effect, which suggests that attempts to suppress attention can actually amplify it.

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah also attended the movement’s demonstration on October 2 at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park where he met organizer Abhijeet Dipek and expressed support. His participation, along with other film personalities, brought wider attention to the campaign.

Read also | Delhi Protest LIVE Update: Wangchuk Considers Hunger Strike or March

Why were the protesters detained?

Demonstrations were organized against a particularly intensive revision of electoral rolls, with participants demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities.

The Election Commission has claimed that the revision is a verification exercise, while critics question its implementation

In Delhi, police refused permission for a planned rally on October 10 at Jantar Mantar, citing public order concerns. Authorities imposed extensive security restrictions, detaining organizers and protesters, restricting access to metro stations and suspending mobile internet services in parts of central Delhi.

Read also | Jantar Mantar CJP Protest: Dipke, Ranka, Das reach Delhi

Train cancellations and traffic curbs also disrupted commuters.

Reuters reported that more than 2,000 people were detained in Delhi during the security operation. Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the capital as organizers insisted on their demand for accountability.

The scale of the response drew criticism from protesters and public figures, intensifying the debate over the handling of demonstrations and the right of citizens to assemble.