Acting and politics go hand in hand too!! Lalu , if not a politician would have been a bollywood comedian. Same goes to Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Other so many buffoons. The politicians want the actors to rock their boats. Both professions require acting. Now , the the politicos befriending actors is for their own gains. Its akin to a rescue operation. Trying to save certain big fish ! Not only for their own good, but for the political parties too!! There is a prime time in every actor?s and actress?s life. The sale ability starts going down the hill as they age . Where there are less offers to fill their coffers, Then the next best move is to jump into the political bandwagon and announce from the roof tops, that they are very much moved by today?s deteriorating situation of people living beyond the poverty line. And, also to give back to the society what they have gained through!! The over the hill actors, start selling themselves hoarse. Whichever political party offers them good stepping stones in terms of constituencies which they can win with their eyes shut! Let us analyze these stars? different roles vis-?-vis their loksabha contesting offers and the reasons.
Rajesh Khanna, the yesteryears , phenomenon jumped into politics of which it was construed as to save his millions for which he had defaulted in paying taxes. His ill famed bungalow ?Ashirvad? where, his wife Dimple had made the walking out a recurring drama at regular intervals. It was attached by the IT dept sleuths. Rajesh Khanna through his chamchas and cronies won over the then premier ?Rajiv Gandhi? s good offices and was allotted the Gandhinagar constituency in Gujarat. This was the same time as Amitabh?s first foray into politics and also Sunil Dutt?s, Vyjayantimala?s entry. The sympathy wave was stronger than the tsunami waves , and all the bollywood first timers won on a overwhelming margin to register an exhilarating win!! Till then, Dilip Kumar had been a Rajya Sabha member. When 1984 Loksabha polls threw these bollywood shenanigans into the cesspool of politics, little did the nation realize that there will be many new entrants with every poll there after! Amitabh quit soon after, Rajesh Khanna was ousted. Only Sunil Dutt continued.
Shabana Azmi?s nomination to Rajya Sabha. Also Jayaprada? s , by mentor Chandra Babu Naidu followed. Does anyone knows what is Jayaprada?s contribution to her electorate? Shabana Azmi, at least has convened and successfully staged dharnas against the slum demolition drives along with Ananth Patwardhan . Stars are made politicians by leaders also to use them as sacrificial lambs. For instance, Rajesh Khanna was pitted against the irrepressible Advani at Gandhi Nagar constituency. Advani had stood at two places. Rajesh Khanna lost the election miserably!! Advani won at both constituencies and resigned from one to prompt the EC to signal a by-election. Hence, Rajesh Khanna has not been given a ticket , but Govinda, the virar ka chokra got a ticket for the largest Gujarati ? Marwari dominated constituency and won handsomely defeating arch rival BJP?s Ram Naik by a land slide margin. Where Sunil Dutt?s constituency ends, Govinda?s starts. He has not done anything substantial so far, but his star value is helping him in his daily endeavors. He has goofed up so often in front of journalists that , very recently when a journo asked him? Govindaji, are you going to file a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) for the Municipal Corporation not being ready for the floods and the bizarre manner in which the post flood relief operation was conducted. Pat came his reply? No, No I am not doing anything for publicity .It is my duty?. The journos were caught amok with laughter. I believe there should be some kind of a crash course for these wannabes and they should be taught the basics of Law and the fundamentals of the Indian constitution.
Jaya Bhachan has been inducted into Rajya Sabha as an MP on a ticket from Samajwadi Party. Vinod Khanna still is nursing his desire of converting Gurdaspur into Paris!! Garam Dharam from Bikaner and Hema Malini also an MP through BJP for Rajya Sabha from Mumbai. She has already started the Clean Juhu Beach operation. How far it is going to be successful, we do not have an answer. We have to wait and see what is the outcome of these many celebs warming the chairs in the parliament at the cost of us, tax payers!!
Author: Donald DSilva- Mumbai
