Bhumi Pednekkar's Former Teacher Recalls Her 'Disrespectful' Behaviour, Questions Her Views On 'Respect' Amid NEET Protest Row

Actress Bhumi Pednekkar's comments on the ongoing NEET-UG 2026 protest controversy have invited fresh criticism after her former acting teacher publicly recalled what she described as the actor's "disrespectful" attitude during her student days.

Shruti Desai, a spiritual psychotherapist who says she briefly taught Bhumi Pednekkar at a Mumbai-based film school, shared a strongly-worded post on social media questioning the actress' recent views on respect and responsibility.

In her Instagram post, Desai wrote, "@bhumisatishpednekkar 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 world-view changed so drastically in the interim?"

Internet divided over teacher's remarks

Desai's post went viral, drawing mixed reactions from social media users.

While several users supported the former teacher for sharing her experience, others criticised her for bringing up Bhumi's alleged behaviour from years ago. Some felt it was unfair to judge the actor based on incidents from her teenage years, while others believed Desai's comments raised valid questions.

"So according to you, if someone is disrespectful and callous in younger days, should they be the same throughout their life? Never expected this from a teacher," commented an Instagram user.

Another wrote, "I hope Shruti's teacher also comment about how Shruti was when she was 15."

"I have honestly felt @bhumisatishpednekkar’s attitude has changed so much since she’s gotten a flat waist and a crazy jawline! 😂😂 Not body shaming, but she was very sweet and kind when she was plumpier / overweight, whatever nice word you want to put for that. Life will humble her again very soon! #Karma isi janam mei bhogna hai," read another comment.

Take a look at some other reactions here:

What triggered the controversy?

The latest backlash stems from Bhumi's videos addressing the NEET-UG 2026 protests.

Earlier this week, the actor condemned the abusive language allegedly directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the demonstrations. She argued that such language was unacceptable, particularly when aimed at the country's highest constitutional office, and said respectful dialogue was the only way to bring about meaningful change.

Her comments, however, sparked criticism online. Many users accused Bhumi of failing to address reports of police action against protesting students during the July 20 Sansad March, including allegations of lathi-charge, tear gas and forced dispersal.

On August 3, Bhumi shared another video condemning the alleged rape and death threats directed at a young female protester.

"Rape and death threats are unacceptable. Aggression is unacceptable. Let's stop all this (sic)," she wrote.

In the accompanying video, the actor said she had watched an interview of the protester and was disturbed to see the young woman visibly shaken.

Despite the clarification, several social media users labelled the post as "damage control", arguing that condemning the threats should have been her first response to the controversy. Others accused the actor of selective outrage, claiming she criticised the conduct of protesters without addressing the issues that led to the student movement.