Enkayaar, Bollywood Trade News Network

Dharmendra in an interview with the print media opined that the actors should not venture into politics and should instead focus on the acting career, i.e. pursue the creative activities. Govinda has been expressing the reservation about executing his role as the public representative. Amitabh Bachchan's political career was aborted; Rajesh Khanna is in political wilderness, while Shatrughan Sinha and Vinod Khanna are busy reviving their acting careers. Is political such a cesspool for the Hindi film stars? There counter parts in South Indian film industry have made a successful career in politics as well, after trail-blazing success in the world of films. The united front that all the stars of Tamil cinema created against the water dispute with Karnataka is a case in point that they are sensitive to the needs of the people, and are attuned to their grievances.

This dichotomous situation is inexplicable as the stars in other language category are having a smooth transition into politics. Is the success of film stars of Hindi film world in politics owing to the fact that they are tapped only for their vote gathering abilities and after that they are forgotten while in Southern India riding on the support of their fan clubs, the stars aspire to and are successful in charting a smooth transition from cinema to politics? Does it then boil down to the fact that were the Hindi film stars vested with more political responsibility they would be able to get transformed into successful political leaders?

The Hindi film actors should take a leaf out of the book of the legend and father figure of the Hindi cinema Prithviraj Kapoor who was at the peak of his career also the President of GIP Railway Union and because of his close association and interaction with the people at the ground level, adoration for him was phenomenal. Moving further, what happens in Hollywood probably could be taken as a reference to give a much-needed shot in the arm of political career for the film stars. When the Hollywood stars decide to venture into the choppy waters of politics they appoint personal political aids for themselves. Steven Spielberg did this when he had to face music for his earlier association with Olympics in China, Arnold Schwarznegger has done it, and so have George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

The appointment is to facilitate initiation of politically correct steps and the political aids help in doing the same. They help more so when the aura of the stars start making diminishing returns. As it is, the political persons have it, so the film stars of the Hindi film world could think about having it and can give a fresh shot to the new career that has been opened for them by the fans that have given them the political life owing to the love that they have for them.


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