A screenshot circulating widely on social media claimed that Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone had posted an Instagram story supporting educationist and social activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike, and then deleted it shortly after. An examination of the claim shows it is entirely false, no such story has ever appeared on any of Deepika's official accounts.
What the viral screenshot actually showed
The circulating image showed Deepika supposedly re-sharing a post about Wangchuk along with an emotional caption reading, "He is fasting and we are scrolling." The same screenshot also carried lines attributed to Deepika that questioned the country's democracy and political leadership. A closer look at the image revealed clear signs of tampering, inconsistencies in the font and the formatting of the story indicated that this was not a genuine screenshot but one created using editing software. A check of Deepika's official Instagram account turned up no trace of any such post or story, confirming that the entire claim had been fabricated.
Not the first time false claims have targeted Deepika
This is not the first time Deepika Padukone's name has been used to spread misleading information online. This is the second time in a matter of months that a fake post involving her has gone viral. Back in March, another fabricated screenshot claimed that Deepika had posted a review of Ranveer Singh's film 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge', which also turned out to be entirely made up. Deepika's name getting pulled into political conversations is not new either. Back in 2020, her visit to the JNU campus made major headlines, and the backlash that followed carried into the release of her film 'Chhapaak', which drew a wave of political reactions at the time. Episodes like these show how fabricated screenshots bearing a celebrity's name are increasingly being used to stir up political noise online.
Bollywood voices that have openly backed Wangchuk
Sonam Wangchuk is currently on a hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak issue, with protesters demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. While most big Bollywood names have stayed silent on the matter, a handful of artists have spoken up in his support. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap called Wangchuk brave on social media and expressed disappointment over the rest of the industry's silence on the issue. Alongside him, actors Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Zeenat Aman, Abhay Deol, Rubina Dilaik, Swara Bhaskar and Atul Kulkarni have also come out in his support, calling his demands justified.
Delhi High Court raises concern over Wangchuk's health
On Thursday, the Delhi High Court heard a public interest litigation concerning the safety and health of Sonam Wangchuk, who remains on hunger strike. Wangchuk has been on a fast at Jantar Mantar for the past 19 days, and reports indicate his weight has been steadily dropping, with claims that he has grown considerably weak. The petition sought that full attention be paid to the safety and health of Wangchuk while he continues his fast. During the hearing, the court expressed concern over his health, remarking that "life is very precious." The court also ordered that Wangchuk be given any medical assistance he may require, whenever needed. So while the fake screenshot involving Deepika Padukone has now been debunked, the attention around Wangchuk's hunger strike, both from the courts and from parts of the film industry, continues to grow.
