Prominent film personalities have expressed strong outrage over the unprecedented police mobilization and mass arrests surrounding protests in the Indian capital against the Election Commission's voter list revision process.

Figures including actor Prakash Raj, director Anurag Kashyap, musician Vishal Dadlani, and comedian Vir Das have raised their voices in solidarity with the protesters.

According to a report by the Indian media outlet Hindustan Times, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) called for a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Police detained hundreds of protesters, journalists, and party leaders who attempted to participate.

Actor Prakash Raj took to social media platform X to protest the police crackdown.

Sharing a cartoon drawn by cartoonist Satish Acharya, he wrote, "How long will you run away from citizens expressing dissent?"

In another video, he voiced anger over the detention of demonstrators, stating that young people are being arrested from their homes and airports, and even prevented from reaching the protest site.

In Prakash Raj's words, "You haven’t arrested our voices; you have arrested yourselves." He added that the struggle to protect democracy will continue.

Director Anurag Kashyap praised the courage of the protesters on Instagram, writing, "Two cowards, 40,000 slaves, millions of brave people."

He also voiced support for Neha Bora, president of the All India Students' Association, who participated in the demonstration and was subsequently detained.

Musician Vishal Dadlani alleged that the right of ordinary citizens to protest is being curtailed to protect a single individual, claiming that 23 battalions of forces were deployed for the operation, disrupting train and metro services.

Filmmaker Apurva Asrani questioned the arrests, asking, "Won't you call this a dictatorship?"

Director Shirish Kunder also questioned the justification of using force against the country's own citizens.

Vikramaditya Motwane and actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub also stood in solidarity with the protesters.

According to Vir Das, attempts at suppression have instead brought the protest even more into the spotlight.

According to reports, more than 40,000 police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel have been deployed across Delhi.

Jantar Mantar has been sealed, and barricades have been set up on surrounding roads.

Warning announcements are being made via loudspeakers citing Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), cautioning against gathering and marching.

This situation has sparked renewed debate over whether civil rights are being curtailed under the guise of suppressing protests.