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Shining stars
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The newly elected stars to the Lok Sabha are elated but are not bidding goodbye to films
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IT IS a multi-starrer unlike any they have starred in their career. This time, they have not won the battle at the box office but the Battle of the Ballot. Through with electioneering, the first love refuses to subside. Not yet. Away from the dust and grime of campaigning, far removed from the responsibilities of a Parliamentarian, our actors-turned-MPs are in no mood to bid adieu to films. Be it Dharmendra who has entered the Parliament on a BJP ticket from Bikaner, or Govinda who trounced BJP's Ram Naik in Mumbai or Jaya Prada, who defeated Noor Bano in Rampur, all assure their fans - they will be in Parliament all right, but they would be seen as often on the silver screen. They get some support from Sunil Dutt, Vinod Khanna and Raj Babbar who have all managed to keep their acting career afloat even as they have handled the responsibilities of their constituencies.
Dharmendra who made headlines with his nikaah controversy in the run up to the election, has just signed Kis Kiski Kismat which has the hot and happening Mallika Sherawat and is said to be doing another film with Amitabh Bachchan. Capitalising on his newfound status, old distributors are reviving old Dharam-starrers like Kundan and Maidan-e-Jung all over North India. The fact that his co-star in both films is Jaya Prada helps too.
Meanwhile, even as most urban cinemagoers thought Dharmendra had bid adieu to films before he entered politics, Garam Dharam was keeping money rolling in by doing films! Yes, he did films seldom shown in places like Delhi or Mumbai but went on to do silver jubilee on the C-grade circuit. Films like Jorabai and Munnibai have been among the hits he has starred in. About the only mainstream film he has done in recent times has been Kaise Kahoon Ke Pyar Hai with Sunny in a special appearance. The film sank without a trace.
Having also featured in films like S.R. Pratap's Aandhi aur Toofan and Jeetendra Johri's Hamara Faisla, Dharmendra admits, "Yes, I did some films. I needed the money, and the money they were offering was good. The films also did not take too much time."
Now, doing mainstream commercial films, he commits himself to old fans again. Like politics. "Politics is nasha, just like films. Once you have tasted it, you don't want to let it go. At the same time, I can never get films out of my system. On election campaign, people voted for Dharmendra. My films have made me what I am." He pledges a few films along the way.
Meanwhile, Rampur's best-known resident has become probably the most beautiful face of the new look Lok Sabha. The woman called the most beautiful woman in the Hindi film industry by Satyajit Ray, brushes aside all questions of quitting the film industry, though Jaya Prada admits, the electoral victory has exceeded even her own expectations.
"This is beyond expectations. I was confident of victory but this is beyond dreams. I could never imagine this. However, this is not just a victory for me, it is for the people of Rampur. I am saying it from the core of my heart. They have treated me like their sister and daughter. The amount of affection they have given me is beyond all dreams for me," says Jaya Prada, insisting she might be duty bound to her constituency but there is no leaving her film directors in the lurch.
"A lawyer does not leave his profession after coming into politics. See Kapil Sibal, Arun Jaitley. I too would not leave films. I am going to complete Mahesh Manjrekar's film (Deh) as indeed Keshu (Sipaahi) and N. Chandra's film with Amitabh Bachchan," she emphasises, adding, "It is definitely not going to be a case of politics' gain being a film industry's loss. But I will always be there for my constituency when it is needed. I have just started as an MP from here, a lot need to be done."
Even in her moment of her biggest political victory, Jaya, like Dharmendra, insists, "Films are what made me. I came into politics because I am a film star. I won't leave films. My constituency needs urgent attention. A lot of development work has to be done. I am sure I can do full justice to both."
Incidentally, Deh, said to be a take on Summer of `42, is in the initial stages of production. Similarly, B. Subash's Sipaahi also starring Ajay Devgan and Akshay Kumar, and N. Chandra's film are in initial stages of production and will need considerable time from the actress-turned MP. "Yes, like my innings as a Rampur MP, these films have also only just started. I am committed to complete these films and will continue to do a few, select films every year."
These newcomers to the Parliament can take heart from the experience of the likes of Vinod Khanna who is representing Gurdaspur in Lok Sabha for the third time, and Raj Babbar, who has similarly been elected from Agra. Khanna has had no problems in mixing the political and the professional. He acted in Vashu Bhagnani's Deewanapan with Arjun Rampal even as he was an MP. And did the much-appreciated Leela with Dimple Kapadia.
Similar has been the case with Shatrughan Sinha, who is acting in Aan releasing shortly. Earlier, this Rajya Sabha member had done Bharat Bhagya Vidhata where he played the Chief Minister. And veteran Sunil Dutt was able to take time out for Munnabhai MBBS last year.
Govinda, meanwhile, is busy wrapping up Ek Haseena, Ek Deewana with Priyanka Chopra. Interestingly, even as his polling agents were rushing to the counting centres to know the result, Govinda preferred to spend time in dubbing studios, probably to lighten his burden in the coming days. Meanwhile, his Hum Do, Hamara Ek is lying in the cans, awaiting release. Just like Khullam Khulla Pyar Karein.
Be it Govinda or others, it is going to be one mad rush from the studios to the Parliament and back. Keep watching.
ZIYA US SALAM
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