Mumbai, Jan 11 (AFP/APP): Fearing a backlash from fans, politicians and religious zealots, Bollywood stars have in the past usually steered clear of India’s fiery politics. But the country’s top actress may have changed that. Signalling a possible generational shift, Deepika Padukone waded into a sea of student protesters in Delhi on Tuesday night, evoking loud cheers from the surprised crowd. Few had any inkling that Padukone would attend the demonstration at a prestigious university where the left-leaning student body has long been in the crosshairs of India’s ruling party. Her appearance sparked a social media war between those wanting her new film boycotted — suggesting her only motive was publicity for the movie which released Friday — and others applauding her courage. Either way, many said the moment marked a watershed in India’s multi-billion-dollar Hindi movie industry. “It was a gutsy move,” said Mumbai-based novelist and commentator Shobhaa De, and reflected a “big shift” for Bollywood. “Stars today understand that their constituency is young India, and young India respects people who speak up,” De told AFP. In a country where obedience to elders is all but enshrined in law, young Indians are demanding the right to be heard, protesting … Continue reading As young India protests, young Bollywood finds its voice