Why Indian celebrities are afraid to be political

Artistes, actors, musicians, painters - the world over understand that the personal is political. Usually a war, a massacre, abortion- is almost fashionable in the West. There have been some exceptions in our past - big stars like Aamir Khan (supporting the Narmada Bachao Andolan), Shah Rukh Khan taking on the Shiv Sena, and others like Nandita Das, Rahul Bose, Shabana Azmi, Celina Jaitley. This may result in, banning of film, armed goons threatening to stall film's release, beat up any diehard fan and cine-goer who shows up at the theatre to see film.

It is said that the politician has to be very thick skinned. Its not for common people who have emotions, think of family, society,friends or prestige. A celebrity has become a celebrity becasue of a unique art which is totally "His". Say, he may he a good actor or a singer or music director or a designer or whatsoever-all form the part of knowledge, SARASWATI, talent, mind.etc. All celebrities are emotional and some can even be erratic or eccentric or moody or in deep thought or deeply involved in some subject or the other. You cannot expect a celebrity to be media savvy always and be prepared anytime as a spokesperson of a political party who are ever ready with the answers wihch you and I knows fully well that he is not answering the question but trying to evade the question doing circumlocution. So you come up with a matter the party supporting them will have n number of arguments in favour and the party in opposition has even more n number of counter arguments. Above all a trained politician has gone through this grind and he has become a man to do "Rajkaran", he knows how to handle people , how to satisfy his constituency or supporters who are thier support base. He knows what is beneficial for him and when to answer the question, when to duck it, when to support it and centradict it the very next day saying that his statement has been misquoted by the media, he knows how to play with the media and how to manage media and how to keep them happy. Its not that  the celebrity is afraid of the media or cannot handle it, because a celebrity needs constant media glare for right or wrong reasons and they love this glare and want that this continue for him so that he is in news and continuously sought after. But being in the media for reasons which is directly or indirectly related to his field of excellence or interest is another thing and being in media for politicals reason is another thing. If its for political reason, is he savvy enough to tackle these questions?Politics involves the people and politicians are smart enough to invoke people in any matter or any quote involving a celebrity. This is what the celebrity fears. Amitabh Bachchan has already burnt his finders during VP SIngh days and he is well aware of it. Can you find a famous celebrity politician in India who is successful? I have my doubts.

These public figures are politicians of a different kind. They are clearly more woriied about their IMAGE in the public eye in terms of their popularity and that clearlyu has to translate into success at the box office which is their Parliament of sorts. This is not in anyway proportional to the Parliament of the real Politicians type!!

Fear maynot be a bigger factor as Himanshu has indicated, but it has to do with the ratio of their life span at the BO and their popularity with the masses. If by chance someone decides to act like GOVINDA or SANJAY DUTT then there should be enough for a fall back if they are not successful at the politics of the real type. In fact I think it was ocmmendable how SRK stood his ground for the MNIK release that too against the Shiv Sena in their own home ground!! So its not FEAR its the continued LIFESPAN of success that they more clearly want more than anything else!! thanks for the referral Himanshu :)

Celebrity is celebrity as he /she must have fans and followers.

There is no wrong that 'even' their celebrity might have an openion and yes .. Political Openion .. !!  But, in India, fans wont like that.

However, as our constitution empowers us to have an openion and allow us to propogate for that, some cinema stars and others have had joined in politics.

The lesson : fans and followers : be matured now .. !!