INDIA: Politicians Flock to Film Stars to Bag Votes

By Ranjit Devraj Reprint | | Print |

Ranjit Devraj

NEW DELHI, Mar 16 2004 (IPS) - As campaigning picks up for the April/May elections, political parties are busy competing to get popular stars from India’s hugely popular film industry, known as Bollywood, to root for them.

The ruling, pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to rope in some of the brightest of Bollywood stars, but its arch rival the Congress party, which professes secular values, is not doing so badly either.

The ‘performances’ by these movie stars have provided ample entertainment for many in this country one billion-plus people headed soon for general elections.

So far, both main parties have been content to flaunt their ‘catches’ to the press at special media functions, where the film stars have tended to betray their lack of political savvy by mouthing stock phrases that were obviously scripted for the occasion.

”I have joined the BJP because it has provided a stable government under the leadership of (Prime Minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee and India is developing fast under his stewardship,” Hema Malini, 55, told media persons who were, shortly afterwards, treated to the same line by a younger actress.

But Malini, the heroine of blockbuster movies like ‘Sholay’ , was smart enough to deftly and firmly duck questions on sensitive issues like the January 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in western Gujarat state, which is run by the BJP, with statements like ‘Lets talk about peace and harmony instead’.

Secularism is an important issue in the current elections although the ruling BJP, saddled with its gruesome record in Gujarat, has preferred to steer away from appealing to the religious sentiments of the Hindu majority as it has done in the past.

Thus it has shelved, for now, its fiery campaign to build a temple on the site where its supporters tore down the mediaeval Babri Masjid mosque in Ayodhya town in northern Uttar Pradesh state.

The BJP’s new approach to politics may have helped it to attract film personalities who come from different religious backgrounds, are idealistic, and tend to shy away from anything that may lead to sectarian conflict.

At the moment, the BJP’s campaign managers are said to be busy devising strategies to deploy star power to the best possible political advantage. ”So far, we have only used film stars as crowd-pullers at election rallies but this time we plan to use them as speakers at election rallies too,” said a BJP official.

India’s film stars have enormous crowd-pulling ability and news of their presence can coax thousands of people to drop daily chores and gather at otherwise uninspiring election meetings and listen to empty slogans into the hot sun.

Commented Shabana Azmi, known for her controversial roles in socially relevant productions: ”People come to look at film stars and hear them deliver dialogues from popular films – but these have no real relevance to their lives and may not be enough to transform into votes.”

She is convinced though that once the crowds have been drawn in, there arises an opportunity to speak to them and convince them to support and vote for serious issues. = 03160655 ORP005 NNNN ZCZC ORP006 QD CAT-AP IP ROMAIPS INDIA: Politicians Flock to Film Stars to Bag Votes(2-E)

Azmi, who has served a term in the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament), has not joined any political party but says she will campaign for the cause of secularism at a time when the country is seen to be getting dangerously divided over sectarian and religious issues.

Another popular actress who wants to be on the secular side is Zeenat Aman. ”That (secularism) is what I represent, what I am and who I am,” the actress, born of a Muslim father and a Hindu mother, said at a Congress party ‘launch’ for their catches, who included younger actresses like Namrata Shirodkar and Celina Jaitley.

But as usually happens with India’s politics, as with its film industry, there is apparently a seamy side to the cosy relationship building up between the two.

In its Mar. 10 edition, the ‘Mid-Day’ tabloid published from the western city of Mumbai, where the country’s film industry is located, ran a story alleging that it is money rather than conviction that is driving film stars to enter politics. The story was afterwards corroborated by some film actors and refuted by others.

According to ‘Mid-Day’, anything up to a million rupees a day (22,000 U.S. dollars) are now being offered to film stars to help with canvassing for votes.

Suneil Shetty, a leading star, admitted that he was offered a million rupees a day but turned it down. ”If I campaign for political parties, it is only out of close friendships I share. I believe relationships and friendships are more important than money,” he was quoted as saying.

Film stars, some critics said, support politicians for favours others than money – such as help with sorting out income tax cases pending against them. Movie idols are notorious defaulters and many have been accused of maintaining close links with the underworld.

Manoj Bajpai, a top actor said it is unfortunate that ”sundry stars with no knowledge of ground realities are entering the political fray” and that it shows them up in a bad light when they make ”clueless remarks about their intentions on why they were joining politics on television and in the newspapers”.

According to veteran politician and Congress party leader Vasant Sathe, the phenomenon of film stars taking to politics in large numbers is a sure sign of the death of ideology in Indian politics. ”There is no longer any serious debate in Parliament, which has itself been reduced to a grand tamasha (cheap entertainment). ”

But Sathe said he would lay the blame on the political parties, rather than film stars, for ”reducing the serious subject of politics to a frivolous entertainment show”.