There is a deep relationship between being a politician and being an actor. A good actor stops being in character once he’s not in front of the camera. The same may not be true for politicians.So, to emphasize the connection between politics and Bollywood, we bring you 11 Bollywood actors who were also successful politicians.
GOVINDA
Govinda’s film journey started in the 80s and he has played every role in the book to make his presence feel. But his shift to politics was rather abrupt. He won the Mumbai North seat in the 2004 Look Sabha elections with fifty thousand votes and began his journey in politics.
RAJESH KHANNA
Rajesh Khanna is considered to be the first superstar of Bollywood, he has given fifteen hit films in a stretch. He started his Bollywood innings with Aakhri Khat in 1966. He worked in a total of 163 films. He contested the Lok Sabha from the Congress in 1991, and lost to L. K. Advani. He later became a member of the Lok Sabha in 1992, defeating Shatrughan sinha.
VINOD KHANNA
Vinod Khanna started his film career with Man Ka Meet in the 60s, he was also an MP from the Gurdaspur constituency in Punjab.
HEMA MALINI
Hema Malini, who played the iconic role of Bansati in Sholay, was elected the Member of the Lok Sabha from B.J.P for the first time. She is currently a MP from B.J.P. from Mathura.
SUNIL DUTT
Sunil Dutt was hero of the super hit film Mother India. He started his political journey from 1984 and later went on to become a Congress MP five times.
Jaya Prada
Jaya Prada is an Indian film actress and politician. She is the recipient of two Filmfare awards and has starred in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali and Marathi films. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) from Rampur from 2004 to 2014. She was one of the most successful actresses of her time. She left the film industry at the peak of her career.
RAJ BABBAR
Raj Babbar is a Hindi and Punjabi film actor and politician belonging to Indian National Congress. He has been a three-time member of the Lok Sabha and a two-time member of the Upper House of the Indian Parliament. He is the current President of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.
SMRITI IRANI
Smriti Zubin Irani is an Indian politician, former model, television actress and producer. Irani is a Member of Parliament, being elected to the Rajya Sabha from the state of Gujarat. She is the current Information and Broadcasting and Textiles Minister in the Government of India.
Paresh Rawal
Paresh Rawal, who played a character like Baburao in the Hera Pheri movies, had begun acting with theater. He got the filmfare for a comic role. He is currently a BJP MP from the Ahmedabad East constituency.
SHABANA AZMI
Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. The daughter of poet Kaifi Azmi and stage actress Shaukat Azmi, she is an alumna of Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. She is the Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA). In appreciation of Azmi’s life and works, the President of India gave her a nominated (unelected) membership of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament.
MITHUN CHAKARBORTY
Gourang Chakraborty better known by his stage name Mithun Chakraborty (informally referred to as Mithun Da), is an Indian film actor, singer, producer, writer, social worker, entrepreneur, television presenter and a former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament.