Smita Mishra
The largest democracy of the world is going to polls for the 15th time. That it has been able to withhold itself amidst a neighborhood collapsing into chaos, no doubt deserves accolades. But time has wrought much change in these many years. From single party majority to loose coalition, from simple trusting electorate to the biased, skeptic variety and from khaddar clad, ageing leaders to glamorous, dashing celebrities-much seems to have altered in six decades.
Political parties have ensured that this time the elections would not be a mundane and moribund affair. With dearth of towering personalities in Indian politics, the parties are heavily depending on cinema and cricket for outsourcing their candidates. There seems to be a competition to harness celebs in the election campaign and giving them the baton to lead. But is it because of the simple reason to add glam quotient to their election campaign?
No wonder, the rich and successful in both these fields would hardly be interested in investing their millions in a ‘trade’ so risky. So many of those whose careers have waned and who desperately need some medium to make money and stay in news, politics is the safest heaven. Exceptions of course cannot be ruled out!
From publicity to power and from special privileges to ‘unlimited’ source of income, the privileges in politics are many. It could even fetch them loads of money. And quite a number of stars are charging hefty fees for their appearances in political rallies. For them it’s more or less like endorsing a product- without ever thinking of using it themselves.
Another reason why the celebs join politics is because they can afford to do so. Elections in India are an expensive affair and someone who cannot afford to spend a few crores, should contend with watching the parliament on television rather than dreaming of being an MP.
Political parties on the other hand profit from the popularity and star stature of the celebrities. The impressionable Indian electorate, mesmerized by glamour and charisma, goes to polls many a time. It never cares to think that just as their favourite actress endorses Lux but uses only Estee Lauder, in the same way campaigning for a political party means nothing more than pocketing a handful of bucks for the stars. What difference does it make which government comes to power for stars who can always opt for a foreign citizenship!
In fact more than the celebs and parties it is the electorate that is to be blamed. Instead of voting for the genuine candidates, if a nation’s votes for glamour, it deserves to be ruled by goons and suffer till it learns its lessons well.
Unless convinced of public support what would make former skipper Md Azharuddin think of entering politics? Congress has welcomed within its fold a man who has been banned by BCCI for his involvement in murky dealings and match-fixing!
Sanjay Dutt may be the innocent “Sanju Baba”, or the large hearted “Munna Bhai” of Bollywood but how proper is it to vote for him as he is the man convicted under the grave Arms Act? Can the defence of the country, the life and money of millions be trusted in these hands?
Raju Srivastav, may well entertain the middle class audience with his comic antics but Congress which is still cashing the legacy of Nehru is ironically fielding him from the same Phulpur constituency which was once represented by the First Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru! Ironical, eh? But world seems to have really changed.
That regionalism is being played up at its utmost can very well be seen by the pitching up of one Bhojpuri star against the other by different parties. These stars have become hot game in the election jamboree. When SP decided to field Manoj Tiwari from Gorakhpur, Congress began wooing Ravi Kishen.
Even filmmaker Prakash Jha is fighting on a LJP ticket in Bihar from Barh constituency.
While, Shiromani Akali Dal has already announced the candidature of Punjabi Pop star Hans Raj Hans from Jalandhar in Punjab, the Congress is considering fielding Nagma from Bhopal. Navjot Singh Siddhu, Smriti Irani, Rajesh Khanna have all their stints with politics in some or the other way. This year there are some new entrants too like Mallika Sarabhai and Shashi Tharoor.
Chiranjeevi, to whom stardom is a way of life since he made a grand entry into Telugu cinema with his swashbuckling dancing style, is also getting used to seeing massive cut outs of his with folded hands stand tall across the state. Instead of going to film studios and shoots, he now attends election rallies and is busy building the capacity of his Praja Rajyam party (PRP).
The list of those who have ventured into politics from cinema have also had their share of glorious success stories is also not a small one. M Karunanidhi, stalwart DMK had written over 100 film scripts before he became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in the early 70`s.
The trend continued with MG Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, who smartly used his super stardom after differences cropped up between him and Karunanidhi to float ADMK later renamed as AIADMK.
While these cinema greats from South India were making this transition, personalities like the great Prithviraj Kapoor and Nargis, Sanjay Dutt`s mother, took up politics and were nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Congress party.
Though Hindi cinema actors were eloquent speakers, it were the South Indian actor-politician who managed to draw large and frenzied crowds. A notable personality in this category is N Rama Rao whose phenomenal rise from a darling actor to shrewd politics is unrivalled.
He formed the TDP, which now is a backbone in forming both state and Central governments. Not all great feats can be copied and politics requires a far different tact than acting. Acting greats like Sivaji Ganesan who managed scores of tear jerking performances in Tamil cinema, however, was a "flop" when he entered the election fray and lost assembly polls in 1989.
The legendary Dev Anand also never got the correct political formula and inspite of a spirited strait he had to eventually dissolve his `National Party of India`. One actor who was seen as the common man`s representation through his roles and was expected to be a good politician was the mega star Amitabh Bachchan.
The iconic performer, however, could not continue long as a Congress party MP in the 80`s after the Bofor`s weapons scam became a major controversy and he was linked to it, causing him to withdraw from public life. Though not in active politics anymore he is known for his proximity and being the `chote bhaiya` of Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.
What began in the black and white era became a blooming trend well into the Eastman colour age and heart throb actors like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Shatrugan (shotgun) Sinha and Govinda joined the political ensemble.
These personalities have had their share of bloomers and a one such incident that Dharmendra would like to forget was he went on record to say in the last general elections, "I do not know anything about BJP`s philosophy. All I know is that if I am made a dictator for five years, I would clear the mess in this country!"
Actresses too have charmed their way into the heart of the voters in the role of a leader and some successful ones are Jayalalithaa, Jaya Bachchan and Jaya Pradha. Other luminaries from the movie industry who had stint with public life are melody queen Lata Mangeshkar and muscle man Dara Singh.
Bollywood`s stage and character actor Raj Babbar forayed into politics in the mid 80`s and after making inroads into the public hearts as a "Samajwadi" he has shifted loyalty to the Congress party and is contesting from Uttar Pradesh.
As if to prove that even they can woo the voter as they do on the little screen, some TV actors also tried to be successful politicians. The `Sita` and `Ravan` of the super hit television serial `Ramayan`, Dipika Chikalia and Arvind Trivedi, entered politics while the `Arjun` of Mahabharata serial also made a cameo role of a leader in real life. The great bahu of television Smriti Irani too tried her luck.
A film star is still perceived as larger than life, a hero who is always righteous, incorruptible, invincible and capable of turning fantasy into reality. To the common public, he is a messiah who can do no wrong. Illusory though this image is, it instills trust in the electorate and that is what every political party tries to tap.
To brand all celebs as candidates who come to politics at the might of money, influence and fame would be wrong. But as statistics cannot be ignored and as our system has no way of filtering the good from the bad except the public mandate which often becomes blind when it comes to celebrities it is best to evolve a new system that would judge a candidate by his education, integrity, IQ and past experience of public work, Sixty years are enough to follow one system of election. When change has set in the minds of the public, it should reflect here too.
