New Delhi:
India's communications minister, already a poet in his spare time, has found another outlet for his creative ambitions: penning a slushy love song for a new Bollywood film.
Despite his challenging role as a minister and government troubleshooter, Kapil Sibal took up an offer by actor-director Aditya Om for the film "Bandook" (Gun) and wrote four songs, one of which made it into the movie.
Sibal's romantic number "showcases the pangs of separation of two lovers", Om told AFP.
"His exuberant knowledge of literature has enabled him to pen beautiful luvvy-duvvy lyrics," he added. The Hindi lines include: "romantic eyes, admire shyly, declare love silently".
The film, releasing this month, looks at gun culture in northern India and the link between crime and politics.
"I really appreciate (Sibal's) knowledge of the vast subject that is portrayed in my film, which attracted him more than anything," said Om, an upcoming director looking to break into the mainstream with the release.
Sibal, 64, already has two collections of poetry under his belt and has linked poems to politics in the past.
"The 'Bandook' song is already available in ringtones, though I haven't got it as yet," he added.
In his ministerial post, Sibal has come under fire from free-speech activists after he championed an amendment to India's IT act in 2009, which makes it illegal to post "grossly offensive" comments online.
Hackers attacked and defaced his website in November amid protests against the law.