Modi’s Bollywood connect

Yesterday, early risers Akshay Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a candid, ‘completely non political’ chat in sun-dappled corners of Lok Kalyan Marg. Interviewer and Bollywood star Akshay Kumar catalysed conversation on a number of topics, ranging from mangoes, sleep and anger management to the PM’s work ethic, post-retirement plans, social media skills among others. But even the decidedly uncontrived chat, (camera-wielding persons could be seen darting in and out of the frame) held in the midst of the on-going election, succeeded in briefly highlighting the PM’s relationship with influential political figures and how his long stint as the Chief Minister of Gujarat gives him an edge above his predecessors.

Focussing on the impact of the recent Akshay Kumar interview, columnist Anil Dharker says, “As a PR exercise it’s pretty good for Modi. A different kind of audience would see him and see him talking in a more relaxed, informal way. It showed his human side which is difficult to see. Otherwise, you see this fiery individual, threatening the world with nuclear weapons. I suppose you need to soften that image sometimes.”

Interestingly, Akshay Kumar managed to prise out more interesting answers from the PM than any journalist has, but then, this isn’t the first time Modi rubbed shoulders with a big name in Bollywood. One recalls how, in 2014, a few months before the general elections, the then BJP prime ministerial nominee invited Salman Khan to fly kites and have lunch with him during the Uttarayan festival. In the past five years too Modi has slowly but surely been deepening his connect with Bollywood. Whether it is attending the receptions of Bollywood icons like Priyanka Chopra and Anushka Sharma, clicking selfies with Bollywood actors and producers, mouthing the famous fervour-filled line ‘How’s the Josh?’ from the movie Uri, or appealing to B’town stars to get their fans to vote, Modi’s Bollywood connect is unmissable. The BJP leader has even had quite a few biopics made around his life, while his flagship campaigns have found their way into TV serials.

Moreover, one cannot ignore the implicit and explicit surge of nationalistic themes explored in Bollywood movies in the last five years. In 2017, Modi’s flagship campaign for cleanliness Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan gave flight to Kumar’s film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, while last year’s Sui Dhaaga shined the spotlight on PM’s Make-In-India and StartUp India campaigns. Although, apart from the unreleased Modi biopic, the biggest endorsement for BJP came in the form of this year’s sleeper hit Vicky Kaushal starrer Uri: The Surgical Strike. Based on the surgical strike of 2016, the film in its fast paced action narrative lauds Modi and his security adviser for the controversial attack on terrorist bases in PoK. Political analyst Dr. Biswanath Chakraborty highlights how these films gave an impetus to the party’s political campaigns and actions when he says, “The ruling party’s views and their side of the story came to the forefront via these films and also created a feel-good factor among voters. Such films work in favor of the party.”

However, Modi hasn’t been the only one to turn to Bollywood to gain some political mileage, for Bollywood has always shared a close relationship with politics, with several bigwigs from the industry choosing to join various political parties in their later years.

Columnist Anil Dharker, recalling how in 1984, PM Rajeev Gandhi roped in Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan to take on political titan Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, says, “The Bollywood industry has always been connected to politics, it surely isn’t new. Even in the South, you have many filmstars-turned-politicians. So politics is a natural corollary of fame and no one can be more famous than a film star or a cricketer.” Political analyst Aditya Dube echoes this thought when he says, “Bollywood has always influenced the political sphere. Historically, Bollywood stars that run for the first time tend to be successful, because people often consider reel heroes to be their real-life heroes too. So Parties know that having an actor on the team can make a big difference,” he shares.

But Aditya does believe that Modi’s, and by extension, the BJP’s Bollywood connect is resounding, more aggressive and smarter than any other party’s. Whether it is has been through selfies, movies or candid chats, Modi has definitely carved out a special place for himself in Bollywood. Talking about how the BJP has found a new campaigning tool in Bollywood, Aditya says, “Politics has always been about capturing emotions and now, the BJP has found a new technique to do so - through Bollywood films and personalities. The Party has always been strong on the campaigning front and now, they’re using Bollywood in a way it hasn’t been used before.” Political analyst Aditya Dube echoes this thought when he says, “Bollywood has always influenced the political sphere. Historically, Bollywood stars that run for the first time tend to be successful, because people often consider reel heroes to be their real-life heroes too. So Parties know that having an actor on the team can make a big difference,” he shares.

Rasheed Kidwai, the author of Neta-Abhineta: Bollywood Star Power in Indian Politics says, “Modi is essentially a mass communicator and he realises that it is much easier to get an Akshay Kumar, Sunny Deol or any other actor to talk about the elections or propagate the BJP ideology, because the campaigning period is very limited and the actors already have huge fan-followings.” The author further adds, “In 2014, a large number of people saw Mr. Modi as a harbinger of hope and change, but in 2019, one can see the results of his 5-year tenure. Now, the situation is such that the glass is being seen as half-full, half-empty. Theoretically speaking, there is a possibility of large-scale deflections, so actor affiliations are being used to arrest that.”

According to Abhay, the new mechanisms are being used in an attempt to save his depleting young voter base. “From 2014 elections, he has tried to attract voters between the ages of 18 to 30. He is the first politician who popularised selfies because his focus was on 18 to 30. His target has always been those young aspirational people who voted for him the last time. Since, his delivery of promises including of employment has not been up to the mark,so he is trying to retain those voters  through such platforms,” concludes Abhay.

Excerpts from the interview:

The interaction between the Prime Minister and Akshay Kumar was an easy, casual conversation.

Modi loves mangoes
The PM tells Akshay that as a child he enjoyed eating mangoes and was very particular in plucking the ripe fruit from the tree, and not pluck them raw and ripen them later. Aam ras too was his favourite. But now, he has to watch his diet, so doesnt have that many.

‘Never thought I would be PM’
Modi confessed he never expected to be chosen as the prime minister... “such thoughts don’t even occur in the mind of a common man. My background is such that even if I’d got a decent job my mother would’ve celebrated by distributing sweets among the neighbours,” he said, adding, “I let destiny lead me.”

Modi even thought of becoming a sanyasi  at one time, went to the Ramakrishna Mission. He was also fascinated with the army. When a convoy of armymen would pass by, as a child, Modi said he would run there and salute them. “Bada maza ata tha unko dekhke,” he said. He even paid Rs 2 to get  the syllabus of a “sainik school”in Gujrat to see if he could join.

About his family
When Akshay Kumar asks Modi about wanting to have his family live with him in the PM house, Modi says matter-of-factly that he left home at a very young age, so there’s a sense of detachment.

“My mother too is not very comfortable being here now, she says she’s happy in the village with her friends. Here she’s alone while I am caught up in my duties.”

PM ko gussa ata hai?
“I never get angry. As PM for so many years, not once from the chaprasi to the principal secretary have I got angry with. I am strict; a disciplinarian. Main kaam karvata hoon... main khud kaam karta hoon.. kabhie raat ke 12 baje tak bhi.”
But I don’t look down or humiliate my team. I work with them. Where there are flaws, I explain to the officers. Anger leads to negative feelings, spoils the agenda of the meetings.”

“Early on itself, I followed a method, to manage my anger. If I got very angry, I would write the entire episode on a paper and read it — how it happened... who was involved etc. If by the end of it I could not let go of the anger, I would re-write the whole thing again. Here I am not being judgemental. Don’t let ego come in the way. And if I realise I am wrong, I would accept it. This helped me deal with emotions. This is how I trained my self.”

Modi believes in ayurveda
“I don’t know how these expensive medicine work. I believe in Ayurveda. I only drink warm water and try fasting when I catch a cold. I put a drop or two of sarso ka tel in the nose. It burns, but it cures my flu quickly,” the PM said.

Friends in the Opposition
“Offcourse, I have friends in the Opposition party. Ghulam Nabi Azad is very friendly. I should not be saying this in the election season! Mamata Di sends me kurtas once a year. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina used to send me Bengali sweets and now even Mamata didi sends me Bengali sweets at least twice a year.”