Should there be more actors in Politics?

Actors across the world have shown a penchant for being in the public eye and ‘serving society’ by running for office. In India, especially in the South, has also been at the forefront of it, with most states having been run by an erstwhile actor as Chief Minister. So, it is not surprising if your favourite star joins a popular party, or launches his/her own, as has been the case in recent times with Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Upendra. We asked the youth, the backbone of the country, if being in showbiz qualifies actors to work for society...

FORActors should be encouraged to venture into fields like politics. The nature of their work and lifestyle could mean that they remain unaware of everyday realities in different parts of the country, but the influence and reach of these personalities must be kept in mind. As people who have unwavering support and loyalty among fans, it is imperative to understand that the positive policies undertaken by actors will definitely be beneficial in the long run because of public backing — Saurav K, 2nd year, BBA, CMS Jain University

Actors are, at the end of the day, ordinary people like us and should be allowed to explore whatever avenues they wish. As long as their intentions are right and just, politics is a great option for actors. They make great role models and they already have huge fan bases, which is sure to make them successful public figures in the political sphere. If they can make good use of their position and power, society will greatly benefit from their endeavours. As long as they take measured and responsible decisions, actors will make great politicians — Gokul V, student of Chartered Accountancy, JK Shaw Institute

An actor will definitely know how to ‘act’, be it onscreen or off it . Mixing these two seemingly ominous fields could lead to a better India. Actors are used to the limelight, and they probably could, all things considered, handle the pressure better. I’d say act-ions speak louder than words —

Aparajit Radhakrishna

, 4th semester, Media Studies, Christ University

AGAINST

Movie stars live in a world of make-believe, where they sell dreams to masses. Unfortunately, the cult of hero-worshipping and fandom distances them from ground realities over a period of time. They lack the required organizational and administrative skills to be effective in public administration. They should avoid getting into the world of politics for these reasons —

Oorvi Umesh

, 2nd year, MES College of Arts, Commerce and Science

No, they should not, because actors live in their own bubble and may not really understand the day-to-day problems people. They may find it hard to connect with the lower strata of society and, hence, cannot be a voice for them. Also, a large part of their following would just go with anything they say because of their celebrity status; I’m not sure how many people would oppose their favourite star, if the need be. It is, after all, an important part of any democratic process —

Vidya Viswanathan

, 3rd year, Home Science, Mount Carmel College

Politicians might make good actors, but actors do not always make good politicians. The elections become a popularity contest instead of a decision-making process for citizens to elect the most deserving candidate who might not be as well known. In reality, actors are not always equipped with the knowledge or experience to hold a position of authority — Kallam Sashikala, 1st year, BA PYEE, Mount Carmel College-- Sanjana Sindhe