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Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, SEPTEMBER 5: They’re star campaigners all right, only, their pull is weak, their sheen worn thin. No Khans, no Kajols, no Manishas or Kapoors here. They’re probably too busy shooting. In their absence, political parties are desperately dredging the dregs of Bollywood, roping in the not-so-busy stars to wave a hand and flash a smile at rallies.
This election, once-were-hot Chunkey Pandey, Sonu Walia, Mukul Dev, Deepti Bhatnagar, Poonam Dhillon and Pooja Batra have been waving those manicured hands for Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Vijay Goel from Chandni Chowk, New Delhi. Why that party and not any other? “Well, Goel is a nice man so I decided to support him,” was all Mukul Dev had to say before hanging up in a hurry.
Ironically enough, Sunil Dutt, one the few actors to have survived a new avatar as a politician, may win any popularity contest hands down, yet, not a single filmi comrade can be spotted at any of his rallies. Ironic, considering that almost the entire industry has set up homeand hearth in his constituency, Mumbai North-West. Dutt’s closeness to the Thackeray clan – Bal Thackeray had played a vital role in bailing TADA’s most famous detenu Sanjay Dutt out of prison – is reportedly keeping the rest of the pack away. In the end, it’s just the BJP’s Shatrugan Sinha who’s willing to stick his neck out. Sinha has publicly refused to whip up votes against his `old friend and colleague’ Dutt.
The very few big names that have been vocal and visible about their leanings are Dilip Kumar – who’s is currently on a campaign tour for the Congress party in Maharashtra – and former Dream Girl Hema Malini, who was roped in by former hunk and co-star Vinod Khanna for his campaign to defend his Gurdaspur seat in Punjab. There are even rumours about the Akali Dal angling for the support of Shaheed-E-Mohabbat actress Divya Dutta, who has a huge fan following in Punjab. Dutta hasn’t yet said whether she will oblige yet.
That coyness, though, hasn’t been evident among Marathi film stars. Threehighly popular stars who straddle both Marathi and Hindi cinema have spearheaded a quiet but rapid mobilisation of people across the state. Sadashiv Amrapurkar, Dr Sriram Lagoo and Nilu Phule recently launched the Lokshahi Prabodhan Manch (LPM), which looks to shape current public opinion about the prevailing political climate.
The manch organised 14 public meetings in seven days, from August 25 to 31, across Maharashtra which saw several intelligent solutions being thrown up by people, said Amrapurkar. “We are going to deal with politics but not with politics of power – rajkaran not sattakaran,” he told Express Newsline.
Strewn with sharp digs at political parties, including one at the “multiplying assets of Matoshree (Bal Thackeray’s bungalow) and its occupants”, the LPM’s meetings have been a major draw in the 13 towns it visited. “The assets of our political leaders today know no bounds. And I am not scared to question Matoshree’s assets because when I talk about it I am being absolutelydispassionate,” pointed out Amrapurkar.
“Though the formation of the LPM was an impromptu step that the three of us took, we are happy with it. Furthermore, if we feel the need to tour the state once again before the next elections, we are prepared to do it to maintain the sanctity of democracy and keep the dialogue with the common man going,” he said.
