‘I call them anti-nationals’

However, he argued that the protest had drifted away from its original purpose and had been taken over by people whose ideologies he does not support. “Are they even talking about the NEET paper leak at Jantar Mantar? I have been seeing the kind of speeches being given and the kind of people coming.”

He further alleged that individuals who had previously raised “anti-India” slogans or questioned Kashmir’s place in India were participating in the protest. “People who said slogans like ‘Bharat tere tukde honge’ and people who believe Kashmir is not a part of India are taking part in this protest, and with full responsibility I call them anti-nationals.”

Referring to comedian Kunal Kamra’s remarks during the protest, Muntashir also objected to a joke involving Lord Ram, saying, “Sita ke pati ka naam leke, Nita ke pati ka kaam kar rahe hai. Extremely derogatory.”

Social media revives Adipurush controversy

Although the clip was released as a promotional teaser for an interview scheduled to air on July 24, it quickly went viral on social media. Many users questioned Muntashir’s use of the phrase “with full responsibility,” drawing comparisons to the backlash he faced over the dialogues of Adipurush. One user wrote on X, “Zimmedari ke sath to isne Adipurush ke dialogues bhi likhe the (He wrote Adipurush’s dialogues with full responsibility too).” Another commented, “A cinematic remake of the Ramayana deserved better than Muntashir.”

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A third user wrote, “He’s objecting to a reference to Lord Ram while this is the same writer who penned the cringeworthy dialogues of Adipurush and later defended them by saying Bajrangbali is not a god.”

The Adipurush backlash

Muntashir had come under intense criticism following the release of Adipurush in 2023. The Om Raut-directed film drew widespread backlash for its colloquial dialogues, particularly a line spoken by Lord Hanuman to Ravana’s son: “Kapda tere baap ka… toh jalegi bhi tere baap ki.”

Defending his writing at the time, Muntashir told Republic that the language was a conscious creative decision. “Why are we only talking about Lord Hanuman? Why are we not talking about the other dialogues in the film? It was not an error. It was a very meticulous thought process. We deliberately simplified the dialogues. Different characters cannot speak the same language.”

He also argued that his interpretation reflected the storytelling traditions he had grown up with. “In the village I come from, our grandparents narrated these stories in a similar language. I am not the first person to write such dialogues.” Director Om Raut, who appeared alongside him in the interview, had also defended the film, saying, “Anybody who says he understands the Ramayana is either a fool or lying.”

About the ongoing protest in Jantar Mantar

The NEET paper leak protest gained nationwide attention after environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk joined an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on June 28. He remained on the fast for 21 days before being forcibly removed by police and admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. Wangchuk, along with thousands of students, has demanded Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, greater transparency in examination and education reforms, and Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy.

After nearly a month of demonstrations, students attempted to march towards Parliament earlier this week. The march was joined by actors Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj with several others sending their support online. Security forces used tear gas, batons and dismantled tents to disperse the protesters, resulting in injuries to several demonstrators and police personnel.

The protesters have since regrouped at Jantar Mantar, where they continue their peaceful sit-in while awaiting a formal response from the government.