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Political rhetoric perhaps has no bounds since politicians are not accountable. Their promises and pronouncements are invariably far removed from hard realities. They transport the voting public to fantasy lands and make them dream of what is mostly unachievable. The gullible voter pays for such rhetoric with his vote. In the end, it is the politician who has the last laugh while the voters remain where they are. Come another election, and the cycle repeats itself.
This is akin to the fantasy quotient of Bollywood movies where you buy a ticket and escape reality for a few hours? Both the maker of the film and the audience understand this deal. After the movie, the producer laughs all the way to the bank and the public goes back to their daily grind. Come another movie, and the whole cycle is repeated.
Is there a difference between these two scenarios? Yes, there is a subtle difference. In the case of a movie, the producer and the audience understand the deal which is fair. But in case of political rhetoric, there is no such understanding. It is designed for betrayal of a voter’s trust. This despite the fact that both are similar deals that take you to a fantasy land far removed from life’s harsh realities. Welcome to Poliwood – the world of Indian politics.
Critics will argue that Bollywood makes you pay to watch while Pollywood does not. Unfortunately, this is a wrong perception as the voters pay for listening to political rhetoric by their vote – something that is priceless in a democracy. It is a different matter that in our nation it is not seen so. A Bollywood movie ticket is value for money, only a few may regret later. In the case of Poliwood, an overwhelming majority of voters invariably regret their decision of having wasted their votes.
Bollywood is male dominated and so is Poliwood, perhaps even more. The ’Me Too’ phenomenon seems to be deeply entrenched in Bollywood but Polliwood too has its share of ‘Me Too.’ In both, it never surfaces in real time. When it does, it has vendetta written all over in both worlds. The media goes berserk while the public/voters forget about it after the initial outrage.
Just as some Bollywood movies transform a few aspiring actors into stars, political rhetoric too can do the same for aspiring politicians. The tenure at the top and popularity of Bollywood stars depends on their continued fan following. It is no different in the case of Poliwood politicians. Over a period of time, a Bollywood star’s performance and public image become more important for him to remain on top. So is the case with Poliwood politicians. In the end the career of both depends primarily on the public.
Bollywood has its fair share of dynasts as does Polliwood. Both thrive on nepotism and yet there is room for some dynamic young stars and candidates to make their mark. Bollywood has a few serious film makers, artistes and others who view their industry as more meaningful than the common perception of glamour and fantasies. So is the case with Poliwood where a few honest politicians see politics as a profession that is beyond the realms of the power and money associated with it. They look at it as an opportunity to do their bit for the nation.
Be it Bollywood or Poliwood, there is a lot of fakery and pretence associated with both. Yet, both boast of pockets of honesty and uprightness that cannot be ignored. Poliwood is open to importing some successful, and some not so successful, Bollywood charmers in their midst. However, Bollywood does not return this favour for obvious reasons. However, a Bollywood movie with imported Poliwood stars, based on their current political status, could be a blockbuster.
Rahul, the hero who is always zero. Kharge, the father whom no one listens to. The villain’s role goes to Akhilesh with Tejaswi as his sidekick. And who better than Shashi Tharoor as the comical local police sub-inspector with a pretense of seriousness. Kangna fits in as the heroine with her super ambitions and a motor mouth to boot. Hero’s mother, suffering from a double dose of discomfort – a zero son and an over ambitious daughter-in-law – is tailor made for Mamta. For the proverbial Mama’s (uncle) role, it will be a toss-up between Kejriwal and Sam Pitroda. All party spokespersons who are seen on national television daily offer a wide choice for extras. Finally, if Amit Shah agrees for a guest appearance, the movie will be a riot.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint