Political Power in Exchange for a Kiss? Absurd! Happens Only in Bollywood Masala Flicks

Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh -India’s largest and most populous state –are a few months away. As of now the poll issues are nebulous, because parties in the fray – Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, the Congress and the BJP- are keeping the poll cards close to their chest.

Elections are generally fought on the basis of specific plans and programmes which get incorporated into the election manifestos. Given the current Indian political scenario,   the key issues are likely to be overall development, secularism, education, job opportunities, women empowerment and safety to name a few.

Assembly elections are an acid test for the incumbent government –  its achievements in diverse spheres e.g   public utility services and facilities, health and hygiene among many others.

The party in power must bear in mind that nowadays bulk of the voters are educated and politically savyy. They critically analyse every move of the government and it is difficult to hoodwink them.

As the countdown begins, parties launch vigorous campaigns, rallies in a fervent bid to woo the voters. Many public work jobs long pending are carried out on a war footing to appease the aam janta.

Winning assembly elections is no cakewalk no matter how powerful; or popular a party might be. But things are  depicted otherwise in movies.

Remember the Bollywood potboiler Chhote Sarkar of the 90s? It had an item number featuring the sizzling Shilpa Shetty who croons Ek chumma tu mujhko udhaar de de aur badle mein  Bihar –U. P   lele (Just give me a kiss… in   return I promise you political power in the states of Bihar & UP) .

This was accompanied by sensual, seductive gyrations which at once titillated and entertained viewers. The film was immediately mired in controversy.

The Young Lawyers ‘Association of (then undivided) Bihar were the first to protest vehemently. Logical.  After all who has ever heard of someone gaining political power in exchange for sensuous kisses, with physical proximity thrown in?

Terming the idea as downright derogatory and obscene, the lawyers filed a case in a local court of Bihar which issued a non bailable warrant against the actress in 2001. Shilpa then moved Ranchi High Court which did not issue  a stay order on the NBA.

Through these fifteen odd years, Shilpa has skipped court appearances; for this offence she might attract an imprisonment term.

Let us agree that the purpose of cinema is entertainment.  Hence elements of fantasy, fiction and melodrama are acceptable. However serious issues like politics ought to kept out of its ambit.

On a lighter note, if attractive, seductive women could actually help ambitions politicians to assume power, the elaborate electioneering process could be bypassed.

Also a staggering sum of money could be saved in the process.