Bollywood And Politics: Marriage Or An Affair?

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They are an unlikely collection of retired stars, out-of-work actors, and
some former beauty queens-turned struggling performers. In an election
bereft of substantive issues rousing the voters or polarising the parties,
Bollywood stars are expected to draw crowds and generate some excitement.
Many of the stars who have joined parties seem to be ignorant about
important events in Indian history, or even their party's political allies.
"In the south, cinema is entertainment and a political movement. In fact,
the political movement takes precedence. A Bollywood star joining politics
is more of a spectacle around a charismatic personality. He or she is not a
catalyst of change," says Shiv Vishwanathan.  Analysts like Mr Vishwanathan
have no doubt that the majority of these stars will vanish "into thin air"
once the elections are over.

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3583255.stm