Why shouldn't a minister act?

When Bratya Basu attended the 100-day celebrations of Shiboprosad Mukhopadhyay and Nandita Roy's 'Icche', he had said that if he gets an interesting offer, he would definitely like to take time out for acting.
His political career might be keeping him on his toes, but when the director duo met him at his residence with a script of 'Muktodhara', he said he had never been offered such a role.On Sunday, for the first time after he was sworn in as a minister, Bratya faced the camera.
The minister, who plays a lawyer in the film, has been cast as Rituparna's husband. Says Shiboprosad, 'Nanditadi and I can't think of a project without Bratyada. He had acted in 'Icche' and 'Hello Memsaheb'. We had wanted him to do 'Accident' but he couldn't find time out. We both think that Bratyada is one of the finest playwrights that India has ever produced. He had told us that if he gets a role that is interesting and also complements his image in the political sphere, he is willing to act. Despite his busy schedule, he still does 'Kanyadaan'. In 'Muktodhara', Bratyada's character is like that of Boman Irani from '3 Idiots'. The film is about reforming convicts and we needed someone to say that what the convicts had done was essentially very wrong. Bratyada says this. Much like Boman in '3I', Bratyada's character also undergoes a transformation at the end. On Sunday morning, we did a photoshoot with Bratyada and Rituparna.' Giving an insight into her role, Rituparna explains that she is playing a dancer-cum-social worker. 'The film is set in the backdrop of a correctional home. My character, Niharika, goes there to reform criminals through dance. She fights all odds to get there and even has to go against the wishes of her husband. I like the way the script explores the contrasting priorities of Bratya and my character. I have watched Bratya's 'Ruddhasangeet'. Though I haven't thought of doing stage yet, I will consider it if something exciting comes from Bratya.'
Says Bratya, 'I've done two films with Shibu and Nandita and I'm very comfortable working with them. There is a tragic irony in my character. His profession and passion merge when he says with conviction that criminals ought to be punished. In sharp contrast, his wife wants to reform these criminals. My character works with outcasts and is an outcast is his wife's life. What's interesting is that he has a physically challenged daughter whom society treats as an outcast. However, I don't agree with Shibu's definition of my character being like that of Boman Irani in '3I'.' Ask the education minister how he is going to balance his political career with his acting commitments and he says, 'Why shouldn't a minister act? Even the former fire minister, Pratim Chattopadhyay, used to act though he was never a professional actor. But I am a professional actor and I love to face the camera or be on stage. That's why I still do 'Kanyadaan'. I will be very choosy about my work. I have told the unit that I can shoot in the evenings or late at night. If I am free, I can also shoot on Sundays.'