It maybe a while before we see a Bollywood equivalent to Jayalalithaa
As an MP, actor Govinda had one of the worst attendance records in Parliament: He attended less than 10% of the sittings in the Lok Sabha and spoke for less than two minutes in his entire term. When a senior Congress leader suggested that he should get more involved, the actor retorted that he was on a film shoot: “Films are my rozi-roti, politics is not!” From the time she stepped into the cesspool of politics, Jayalalithaa got no special favours: On more than one occasion in her early years, she was a victim of misogyny and prejudice. Then, whether it be Hindi cinema’s biggest star, Amitabh Bachchan, who gave up politics in the midst of the Bofors controversy, or even TV stars like Deepika Chikhalia, who rode on her appeal as Sita in Ramayana to become an MP and then quickly disappeared, the roll-call of star-politicians is not very impressive. Jayalalithaa made no such conscious pitch though it is true that before every major election, old MGR-Jaya romantic films would play out on Jaya TV. Which is why it may be a while yet before we see a Bollywood equivalent to a Jayalalithaa, a charismatic star in her first innings of life, but a true politician in her second.
Remember Jayalalithaa’s political success, but don't forget her corrupt legacy
Discover Related
Jr NTR Hails Vijayashanti As True Lady Superstar
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi asks students to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' in Madurai, matter sparks row
Mamata's MPs at war: Why Kalyan Banerjee, Mahua Moitra had a showdown
Shikha Mukerjee | Short-sighted politics has unintended consequences
Mohanlal - An Empuraan and his 'self-inflicted' cuts
Decoding Akshaye Khanna's secret to staying relevant in Bollywood
Tamannaah Dreams of Portraying Sridevi on Screen
Kannada star Ramya stands by Rashmika Mandanna: 'Stop trolling her'
Reimagining Krishna: The god as history's greatest politician
Nayanthara tells people, fans to not address her as 'Lady Superstar'
Worshiping smugglers as heroes is unfortunate, says Venkaiah Naidu
Vijay slams BJP-DMK media war on language row