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Actor Syed Mohammed Ahmed launched a scathing critique of parents who take “the wrong way” while dropping their children off at school in the morning.

His remarks came in a video posted to his Instagram account on Wednesday in which he vented his frustration at what he described as a daily disregard for basic courtesy and road safety outside school gates.

In the clip, Ahmed takes aim at those who, in his view, treat school runs as a licence to ignore everyone else on the road.

“I have an important question: while picking and dropping children off at school, why do you people take the wrong way? I mean, how much fuel are you able to save? Rs50? Rs100? But have you ever wondered what your child is learning from this sort of conduct?” Ahmed asked.

“I mean, school is where learning starts for children and you’re showing them that it’s okay to flout traffic rules. You cause traffic jams and people get worried,” he added.

However, in the middle of his rant, Ahmed explicitly highlighted women as the chief offenders, suggesting they are disproportionately responsible for the chaos he describes.

“Here, I’ll specifically request women drivers who drive on the wrong side of the road. Nobody even tries to question them, because you can’t get into a fight with a woman,” the actor said.

Now, this is a claim that’s not only unhelpful but also plainly unfair.

The school run is a shared burden with men and women both part of the daily scramble. To frame the issue around women is to blatantly ignore that reality and to risk turning a legitimate road safety concern into a gendered attack.

Ahmed’s criticism also overlooks the fact that, in many households, it is women who shoulder the bulk of childcare responsibilities — often while juggling work — precisely because of unequal expectations that society has been slow to address.

Blaming women, in particular, for the consequences of that imbalance adds to the unfairness, rather than addressing it.

That said, it would be a mistake to dismiss the substance of the broader issue Ahmed raised. The morning drop-off genuinely is a daily test of patience and safety and the frustration the actor voiced is one shared by countless parents, teachers and residents who witness the same scenes every week.

“Please reflect on your conduct and think about what your child is learning from you,” Ahmed requested towards the end of his video.