On the Loose: Charm Offensive

Hema Malini has inadvertently stumbled onto something when she says that politics and films have a lot in common but it has nothing to do with the slog. Every successful politician is also, like his Bollywood counterpart, a charming and inveterate performer.

Hilarity and snide barbs ensued online at the sight of the delicately poised Hema Malini waving at crowds from her gleaming black SUV Mercedes, clutching a faux lotus. The actor was in Mathura from where she defeated Rashtriya Lok Dal candidate Jayant Chaudhary in 2014 by over three lakh votes. Some photographs shared by the actor show her stepping out of a helicopter in a pristine sari looking every bit the quintessential movie star she is. Another had a minion holding an umbrella for her while the car glided past the hot and dusty village. Malini didn’t endear herself to netizens further by her nonchalant quote to NDTV on the surprising similarities between Bollywood and politics. “Film shoots are hard work and so is this,” explained Malini, who appeared baffled that her campaign images had created a stir and riled people up. She asked: “What’s wrong with them? Everyone was happy to see the picture back in Mumbai.”