From film and television studios to Parliament. The 18th Lok Sabha is all set for Lights. Camera. Action.
Arun Govil, who played Lord Ram on television in the mid-1980s. Kangana Ranaut, just brilliant in Queen and Thalaivii. Amol Kolhe, best known for his portrayal of Shivaji in a Marathi television serial. Bengal's current television superstar Rachna Banerjee, and actors June Maliah, and Saayoni Ghosh. All making their debut as Members of Parliament.
Then, there are the actors who have been here before and are back. Shatrughan Sinha (four terms in Lok Sabha, two terms in Rajya Sabha). Hema Malini (three terms in Lok Sabha, two terms in Rajya Sabha). Chirag Paswan, though he acted in just one film (three terms in Lok Sabha and now Union Minister for Food Processing Industries). Superstar of Bengali films in the 1990s, Satabdi Roy (four terms in Lok Sabha), and current heartthrob Dev Adhikari (three terms in Lok Sabha). Manoj Tiwari (three terms in Lok Sabha). Ravi Kishan, who was stellar in Laapataa Ladies (two terms in Lok Sabha). Suresh Gopi, who has acted in more than 250 films south of the Vindhyas (debut in Lok Sabha, one term in Rajya Sabha).
Now that we are in the mood, here is a list of your columnist's favourite politician characters in Indian films.
1. Suchitra Sen In Aandhi (1975)
Directed by Gulzar, this was Suchitra Sen's last Hindi film. The film revolves around the chance meeting of an estranged couple. Aarti Devi, a prominent politician, finds herself staying in the hotel managed by her husband during an election campaign.
The movie faced an abrupt ban after running successfully for almost 20 weeks. The ban was due to the striking resemblance of Aarti Devi, with her elegant cotton sarees and silver streaks, to Indira Gandhi.
The songs of the film, especially Tum Aa Gaye Ho Noor Aa Gaya and Tere Bina Zindagi Se, are popular even today.
2. Amitabh Bachchan In Sarkar (2005)
The character of Subhash Nagre, portrayed by Big B, is loosely based on Vito Corleone, played by Marlon Brando in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. In the film, Subhash Nagre runs a parallel government in Bombay with the support of the poor and the powerless. The character also bears a striking resemblance to Balasaheb Thackeray.
3. Abhishek Bachchan In Dasvi (2022)
From father to son. A delightful dramedy about an uneducated and corrupt politician who decides to appear for his board examination from jail. All under the watchful eye of a stern police officer. Happy that I took time out to attend the premiere of the film. Spent a lovely three hours.
4. Alia Bhatt In Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022)
Playing the titular role, Alia Bhatt portrays the role of a prostitute who rises to power with panache. After winning the presidential elections in Kamathipura, she becomes a champion for women's rights. This story draws inspiration from Hussain Zaidi's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai.
For her role in the film, Alia Bhatt received the National Award for Best Actress at the 69th National Film Awards.
5. Tigmanshu Dhulia In Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
A cult classic. Tigmanshu Dhulia's dialogue "Beta, tumse na ho payega" became an instant hit and is still referenced in popular culture. Stand-out performances from all involved: Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi, Pankaj Tripathi and Rajkummar Rao.
6. Raveena Tandon In Satta (2003)
Raveena Tandon plays the role of a regular woman who steps into the world of politics after her politician husband is sent to jail on charges of murder. She navigates the dynamics of power politics and learns the art of survival.
7. Arun Sarnaik In Sinhasan (1979)
This Marathi film, written by Vijay Tendulkar, is one of the sharpest political dramas in the history of Indian cinema. Arun Sarnaik plays the role of a shrewd politician who is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. When he discovers that his rivals are plotting to unseat him, he announces a cabinet reshuffle. Schemes and machinations abound.
8. Anil Kapoor In Nayak: The Real Hero (2001)
As Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, Anil Kapoor accepts a challenge, presented by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, to govern the state for a day. In that one day, he takes steps to root out corruption from the system. He becomes so popular that he wins by a vast majority when he eventually contests the election.
9. Mohanlal And Prakash Raj In Iruvar (1997)
Iruvar, regarded as one of Mani Ratnam's best works, portrays the friendship and political rivalry between M.G. Ramachandran and M. Karunanidhi.
P.S. Amitabh Bachchan has not only played the role of a politician in films like Sarkar and Inquilaab, he also contested in the Lok Sabha election from Allahabad in 1984. He bagged a mammoth 68% of the votes, defeating former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister H.M. Bahuguna.
(Derek O'Brien, MP, leads the Trinamool Congress in the Rajya Sabha)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author