Sanjay Dutt is called a press conference on Thursday night, to announce his entry into politics. The actor who was shooting in Kashmir valley for good friend Bunty Walia’s film Lamhaa, landed in the city yesterday evening, and met the media at nine, at his residence.
His press conference is an after-effect of badi didi and congress MP Priya Dutt’s comments on her brother joining Samajwadi party. Is it wrong of Sanju to join a rival party? I don’t know. If I think emotionally, then Dutt is wrong. If I think rationally, then he isn’t.
The emotional argument: How can he embarrass his sisters like this? They’ve stood besides him at his every (and there have been many) hour of need? How can two people from one family, campaign for rival parties? He is insulting the memory of Nargis and Sunil Dutt by getting together with SP. It was also very irresponsible for him to not have involved or informed his sisters about his decision.
The rational argument: Sanjay Dutt’s freedom is at stake. He knows that it is only force that can keep him out of jail, is a strong political party behind him. He knows he cannot rely on sister Priya and her party to help him beyond a point. He needs political power to keep him out of prison. There’s also the question of money -- his bank account needs a serious boost – and his ambitious wife, the biggest influence in Dutt’s life in the last two years.
A man’s politics cannot be questioned. But if that man is an actor, then it’s a privilege that he cant’ have. As I write this, I am still unconvinced that Sanju’s the bad guy, that everyone has labeled him to be. I find it difficult to judge people. But most Indians are an emotional lot. And because as a country we’ve loved and respected Sunil Dutt and his responsible daughter Priya, there will be few takers for Sanjay. Especially because of his colourful past – the drug problem, two broken marriages, the alleged involvement in the Bombay Blasts, and not to forget the new Mrs. D, and her dubious past.
But will people in Lucknow care? Sanjay Dutt is not being chosen because of what he stands for. He has been chosen for who he is. It’s all about star power. I think the important question to be asked is: Will Dutt will make a good politician. And the answer to that is NO. He doesn’t have the passion, the drive or the temperament. It’s just a means to an end. Do we really need people like that in politics? We need people who are there because they want to make a change.
|
TRACKBACK URL: http://blog.mid-day.com/trackback/1894
|
