New Delhi: The link between cinema and politics is inseparable in India. Celluloid stars descend on the earth and criss-cross length and breadth of India during Lok Sabha elections, some as candidates and many others as star campaigners. The Lok Sabha elections - 2014 is also expected to witness a 'star' war once again.
According to reports Jaya Prada, the sitting SP MP from Rampur in UP is planning to contest from Moradabad on Congress ticket, this time. Her relationship with the SP went cold long ago. The sitting MP of Moradabad former Indian cricket team captain Mohammed Azharuddin is likely to contest from one of the seats in West Bengal.
Jaya Prada, once described by cinema legend Satyajit Ray as 'the most beautiful woman', is a multilingual star. She has acted in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi movies in the last 35 years. She was a TDP MP in the Rajya Sabha during the NDA regime.
Nagma, another actress from Mumbai, who made it big in the Southern cinema, is also trying her luck this time. Her efforts to get a Congress ticket from Mumbai in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls had failed.
Punjabi pop singer Rabbi Shergil who has joined the AAP is also expected to contest from one of the seats in Delhi. Stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma's name is also doing the rounds.
Play back singer and music director Bappi Lahiri who recently joined the BJP has reportedly refused to contest from West Bengal.
Popular Bhojpuri singer and actor Manoj Tiwari is a BJP member. He had earlier joined Samajwadi Party and contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections unsuccessfully.
One of the most successful film stars in politics has been Bihari Babu Shatrughan Sinha. He is a very senior BJP leader and has enormous clout in Bihar. He entered Parliament through the Rajya Sabha in 1996 and has been a Union minister too. Currently he represents Patna Sahib constituency in the Lok Sabha.
In rest of India, cinema stars play a guest role in politics. But, in the South they actually become kings and kingmakers. In cinema crazy Tamil Nadu, the state has been ruled by film stars turned politicians since the late 1960s.
This time too, the three main players - CM J Jayalalithaa, DMK chief M Karunanidhi and DMDK chief Vijayakanth are from the cinema.
In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the Congress is banking on the star appeal of Chiranjeevi to keep the party alive post bifurcation. Chiranjeevi had miserably failed in the 2009 polls.
In Karnataka, famous heroine Ramya is already a Congress MP from Mandya. She is re-seeking election from the same seat. The JDS is planning to field Kannada cinema legend Rajkumar's daughter in law and former CM S Bangarappa's daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar from Shimoga Lok Sabha seat. Her husband Shivarajkumar is a famous Kannada hero.
In tiny state of Goa, singer Remo Fernandes has already joined the AAP. He has a huge appeal across Goa. But, will he be able to take on the BJP and the Congress?
The TMC already has film actress Shatabdi Ray as an MP from the state. A few more from Bengali cinema are expected to join politics before the elections.
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