Pics: LS election campaign show the 'reel' world as 'stars shine down'

Updated: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 13:42 [IST]

New Delhi, March 26: Politics is not boring anymore! It is not just about rallies and campaigns by old faces once in five years anymore as the 'reel' life has stepped in to spice up the Lok Sabha elections this year.

While we are aware of chiselled Bollywood/Tollywood actors in politics like Jayapradha, Hema Malini, Jaya Bacchchan, Jayalalitha, Satapdi Roy, Tapas Pal, Shatrughna Sinha, Raj Babbar, Govinda, Chiranjeevi and more, let us introduce you to a new generation of politicians (including veteran artists) who are all set to make their mark in the world of politics.

However, there is an interesting, but a personal observation that comes from days of speculation as to why this sudden rush of actors in politics. The first dischord (if I may say so) appeared when Salman Khan was seen sharing the stage with Narendra Modi and so was Akshay Kumar; Aamir Khan, too backed AAP appreciating its agendas for development.

That is when the inquisitive minds started racing and before it could draw any conclusions, we saw Nagarjuna and Pawan Kalyan shaking hands with the political icon (do we sense an alliance? naaah! too early to say that). Some of the other newbies in politics across the country include Sandhya roy, Joy Bandhopadhyay, Rekha, Paresh Rawal, Kirron Kher, Gul Panag, Pawan Kalyan, Mithun Chakravarty, Mahesh Manjrekar, Moon Moon Sen, Bishwajit, Nagarjuna, Ramya, Nagma, Dev, Nimu Bhowmick, Captain Vijaykanth, Ravi Kishan.

But seriously, think of it-why this sudden interest or a shift in interest (if we are allowed to say so)?

Exploiting emotions

Elections is all about winning votes and what politicians can't do, these stars can-draw an immense crowd from within their fans. For instance, if a voter is a very big fan of Paresh Rawal, but does not like Narendra Modi would go ahead and vote for him.

The same rule applies for others too. However, these actors are not just arm candies for political parties, remember good old Jayalalitha-the chief minister of Tamil Nadu? Who would have known that she would end up the Chief Minister of a state for the third term? (probably some hope for the actors) Interestingly, she won every time on her public appeal as a veteran actress (No wonder why Alagiri is after Rajnikanth.

Public fed up of old faces

It is said that the silver screen is evergreen. So, if they are brought into politics, people's interest in the same would grow (EC predicts as 72% turn out....already?!). Let us not talk about the 'youthfulness' that young actors-turned politicians like Dev, Gul Panag or Pawan Kalyan bring into politics, but retired ones too speak a lot from their experience. Now, who would not want his favorite actor to be onscreen all the time? (lol! our grandparents will now have different stories to tell us)

Think straight, it could be mere 'interest'

Why do we have to read in-between the lines all the time ("shame on you media", that is what we get from everyone these days)? Probably, they are really interested in changing India and its framework, probably they wish to retire as a politician doing good for the people of the country and not restrict themselves to the screens, probably they just wandered into politics with no aim in mind.

How are we bothered? But we can surely worry ourselves on where the country is actually heading to. eh?

In Meerut

Congress candidate Nagma during her election campaign in Meerut on Tuesday.

In Chandigarh

BJP Lok Sabha candidate actress Kirron Kher speaking to the media at party office in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

In Ahmedabad

Actor and BJP candidate Paresh Raval during his election campaign in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

In Ahmedabad

Actor and BJP candidate Paresh Raval during his election campaign in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

Aam Aadmi Party candidate Gul Panag riding a bike

Aam Aadmi Party candidate Gul Panag riding a bike during her election campaign in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

in New Delhi

Bollywood actor & brand ambassador of water purifiers brand Hema Malini addressing at launch of 'Save Water' campaign during the world Water Day in New Delhi on Saturday.

In Hyderabad

Tollywood actor Pawan Kalyan speaks at the launch of his new political party Jana Sena in Hyderabad on Friday.

In Gandhinagar

Actor Nagarjuna meets Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar on Monday.

In Mathura

Bollywood actress & BJP candidate Hema Malini addresses a press conference in Mathura on Wednesday.

In Mumbai

Bollywood item girl Rakhi Sawant at a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday. She will contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Mumbai North-West constituency.

In New Delhi

Bollywood actress Rakhi Sawant interacts with media at Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday.

In New Delhi

Bollywood actress Rakhi Sawant interacts with the media at Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday.

In Hyderabad

New Andhra and Telangana Congress presidents Raghavera Reddy and Punnala Lakshmaiah take charge in presence of AICC General Secretariat Digvijay Singh, K Chiranjeevi and Panabaka Lakshmi at Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad on Saturday.

In New Delhi

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is greeted by DMDK leader Vijaykanth during a meeting in New Delhi on Friday.

Veteran actress Moon Moon Sen

From superstar Dev to screen diva Moonmoon Sen to former India football team captain Baichung Bhutia to musician Bappi Lahiri and magician P C Sorkar Jr, the voters have never had it so good. "I never thought in my wildest dreams that someday I will be able to see Dev from so close," said star-struck Sumita Adhikari, a resident of Ghatal, a small town about 140 km from here under Ghatal constituency in West Midnapore district.

In Kolkata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with eminent actors Moon Moon Sen, Madhavi Mukherjee (L), Sandya Roy( R), Ranjit Mallick (2nd R), Dipankar Dey and noted vocatist Dwijen Bandopadhay (2nd L) lighting a lamp to inaugurate newly built Technicians Studio in Kolkata on Saturday evening.