Cinema attracts. And so does politics. So, with Sandalwood, politics seems to have found a ladies club. In much pomp, we have seen many actresses from Kannada industry leaving their celluloid image and joining different parties while a few are juggling between different groups to get the best. While Ramya and Bhavana continue to enjoy their role in Congress, Malavika and Shruti are having a time with KJP. We also have senior actresses like Uma Shree and Tara who are doing their bit. Recently, joining the list is actress Rakshitha, who is dedicated to BSR Congress party.
But the best to really utilise political culture and shift according to the opportunity is actress Pooja Gandhi, who slipped into politics with JDS, later jumped into KJP and has now joined BSR party; all in a span of few months.
It is noticed that heroines who join politics have actually finished their prime age in the glam world whereas heroes are still working hands full.
If we look back, the first female actress to get associated with politics was KB Sundarambal, who supported the Indian National Congress. Then we had Jamuna, and Vyjayanthimala followed by plenty of actresses like Jayalalitha, Khushboo, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, Rekha and Nagma. Among them only a few could hold positions and take part in running the government. The rest of them just became showpieces.
Ask Pooja, about her political stint and she candidly said , "It is like looking for a good job. It is not that I wanted to enter politics utilising glam quotient. If that was the case, I would have settled in the party I joined first.
My basic aim is to do some social service, which I can do only if I am given a portfolio. More or less, I have often been part of social campaigns."
Producer K Manju, who is now contesting from Turuvekere for Congress party said, "I got into Seva Dal back in 1987-88 and since then, I have been in the political field. Whether it is a hero or a heroine, they should have an agenda when getting into politics.