Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly set a new world record on Instagram after one of his recent Reel videos surpassed 300 million views within 24 hours, making it the platform’s most-viewed single Reel.
The two short videos were posted as India witnessed widespread student protests demanding the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Seeking to connect with younger audiences, Modi adopted the short-form video format popular among Generation Z, filming and publishing the Reels late on July 23 and July 24.
The first Reel reportedly broke the previous record held by popular YouTuber IShowSpeed, whose video featuring a meeting with K-pop group BTS after the World Cup final had become the platform’s most-viewed Reel earlier this month.
The student movement began after India’s NEET medical entrance examination was canceled following allegations of a question paper leak. The exam, held on May 3, was officially annulled on May 12 after evidence of irregularities emerged.
On May 16, student leader Abhijit Deep launched a political movement called the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). The name was chosen after India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant allegedly referred to unemployed youth as “cockroaches” and “parasites” during a court hearing.
Since its formation, the CJP has attracted nearly 20 million followers on social media and organized nationwide demonstrations demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Amid mounting protests led by the CJP and opposition parties, Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25, submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Modi. He later confirmed the move in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Despite having more than 100 million Instagram followers, Modi rarely posts casual selfie videos or Reels, traditionally relying on formal speeches and official events to communicate with the public.
Political analyst and Modi biographer Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay told Bloomberg that the student movement appeared to have put significant pressure on the prime minister. However, Modi’s party maintained that the videos were simply an effort to engage with young people in a more informal and relatable way.
The extraordinary view count also highlights the enormous reach and influence of social media platforms in India.
