Personally, which Lok Sabha election has been your most memorable so far? Why?
My most memorable is the 1974 elections; it was my first time as a voter, and I remember, since the Emergency followed soon after, that I did not vote for Congress.
Which election, in your view, has provided the biggest turning point in the history of India?
That would the elections right after the Emergency as every individual was geared up for change.
What issues would you want the three MPs from Bangalore to address? Any particular issues that need to be addressed in the film industry?
Currently, the growth of the city has reached worrisome proportions, so managing it will be a challenge. No one can tell how Bangalore will turn out five years down the line. So how does one address these problems? The growth of the population and the supporting structures should be scientifically controlled.
When it comes to the culture, Kannada needs to be taken more seriously as a language and preserved. Most people think that language isn’t important but it’s quite the contrary. Unless Kannada is introduced as an inseparable part of the education system and an official language, we will soon feel disconnected from our society and culture. So it’s not enough if our MPs say that they will take care of the basic amenities -- preservation of Kannada, and by extension society and culture, should be on their agenda too.
Do you think the Congress, BJP, JD(S) and AAP have chosen their Bangalore candidates well?
I actually think they have this time. Almost everyone who has got a ticket has vision and the capacity to see whatever they undertake through.
Have you ever considered contesting elections? Which politicians do you know personally, and what do you think of their prospects?
No, I haven’t ever considered it, though I have friends in almost all parties. Out of them, I think Kumaraswamy might have slid down in terms of popularity by choosing to contest from Chikballapur rather than Ramanagara because it’s important to show people, those you expect to vote for you, that you are loyal to them.
And in the Congress, there are friends from the film fraternity who are contesting. I think they are popular, have a good chance of winning and expect good work from them when they do.
What do you foresee in Delhi after the vote count on May 16?
I think there’s a general feeling among voters that there might be development if Modi were given a chance. So riding on this wave of popularity, the BJP might find itself in power in the centre.