Heroes turn zeros in politics

Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha has one piece of advice for Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, who have announced their entry into politics: “Don’t do it!”

Shatrughan Sinha is sceptical about Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan’s entry into politics. “I hope they have worked out their political screenplays in some detail before taking the plunge. I don’t think they have, but I hope I am wrong. Politics is no bed of roses. Actors come from a world of glamour; they are addicted to glamour. There’s a lot of power in politics, and power is extremely glamorous. Actors enter politics in the hope of building their fame and glamour,” he says.

The politician, who is unhappy with the way he has been treated by his own party, the BJP, says that Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, both of whom he considers good friends, should be very clear about their reasons and motives for entering politics. He adds that he would have warned them against taking the plunge, had they consulted him.

“They never sought my advice. If they had, I’d have warned them about the pitfalls of entering politics. Look at the way I’ve been treated by my parent party. I was given to understand that I’d be given a cabinet rank. Instead, a television actress was given the position. I was only subjected to humiliation and indifference. We actors are brought into political parties to draw in the crowd. But when we do that, the parties get insecure about our popularity. It’s a very tricky situation,” Mr Sinha says.

Shatrughan Sinha

He says that the road ahead will not be easy for either of the actors, no matter how popular they are. “It’s not going to be easy. M.K. Stalin has a very strong power-base in Tamil Nadu. He has done a lot for the people. Rajini can’t ignore his position. Kamal Haasan too will find the going really tough. It is not easy to convince voters that you are a capable leader just because you’re a popular actor,” he says.

Mr Sinha also remains sceptical about the political stance and philosophy adopted by Rajinikanth. “Rajini speaks of ‘spiritual politics’. At a time when scamsters are running away with billions of rupees, you can’t change politics with spirituality. Desperate situations cause for desperate remedies. Can Rajini and Kamal deliver?” he questions.