Refusing to bite the ballot

In the wake of Bollywood stars making a dash for mainstream political parties, Dev Anand spoke to The Indian Express on his failed experiment and the greater possibility of stars being political failures rather than successes. According to him, politics is a cold-blooded profession and people from showbiz should keep away from it.

‘‘Filmstars are called by these parties to provide glamour at the rallies. Aren’t these filmstars getting enough glamour in showbiz that they are rushing into politics. What contribution can they possibly make? Be nominated to the Rajya Sabha to raise hands?’’ he queries.

The National Party was formed to counter the harassment meted out to the film industry during Emergency. Though many filmstars did side with the Janata Party, the idea to form the National Party clicked after the failure of the Janata Party.

‘‘I had defied Emergency and joined the Janata Party. But when it failed to click I was disillusioned. I thought a political party with people from showbiz would click and win the polls after the dark days of Emergency,’’ says Dev Anand.

The National Party’s public rally at Shivaji Park was attended by Vijayalaxmi Pandit, Nani Palkhivala and others. ‘‘The tempo built up and we were the talk of the town. Wherever we went the response was great. But when we needed filmstars to contest the polls, no one was willing. Disillusioned yet again, I disbanded the party,’’ he says.

Anand feels that most of the filmstars who have joined the political bandwagon will just be making a guest appearance — they will be visible only till the elections are over.