Stars soft targets in race for political mileage

Rohit Khilnani / CNN-IBN

Mumbai: The recent verbal and editorial attacks on the Bachchans and Shah Rukh Khan by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena respectively have brought the issue of politicians using Bollywood to gain publicity under the scanner again.

With the kind of attention and fan following that films stars have, actors often become pawns in the hands of politicians who want to gain political mileage.

Here are some stars who have been targetted by politicians for their own ends.

TARGET DILIP KUMAR

Soon after actor Dilip Kumar was honoured with the Pakistan's highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1998, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray asked him to return the award and the then Sena member Sanjay Nirupam went ahead and called Dilip Kumar a Pakistani in Rajya Sabha.

TARGET AAMIR KHAN

BJP banned Aamir Khan's films in Gujarat in 2006 after Aamir Khan supported the cause of the Narmada Bachaon Andolan at Jantar Mantar. As a result of the ban Aamir Khan's Fanaa was pulled off several theatres in Gujarat.

TARGET SALMAN KHAN

In 2007, a muslim organisation issued a fatwa against Salman Khan for performing the Ganesh Puja at Lalbaug. Stating that Islam prohibits idol worship, the Bareilly-based Daarul-Ifta-Manjar-e-Islam said that unless Salman reads the kalmas all over again, he will not be considered a Muslim.

TARGET SHILPA SHETTY

Several parties protested and burnt effigies of Shilpa Shetty last year after actor Richard Gere kissed her in public at an AIDS awareness event in Delhi. The protestors even tried to disrupt a shooting schedule featuring Shilpa.

Soft targets or mere pawns in the big game of politics? Politicans keep a close eye on filmstars and don't miss one opportunity to take action. It's surprising that in a country which is dealing with power cuts, floods, drought, lack of education in villages and other crisis, some politicians are chasing filmstars - whether for their own milage or for a cause.