Let the polls roll

Sanju takes Gandhigiri to South Africa to help ruling party catch Indian votes.

Celeb season in politics takes off with Sanjay ‘Munnabhai’ Dutt going to Durban to share a platform with the African National Congress, and Katrina Kaif about to dip a dainty toe into affairs of the state by campaigning for Prakash Jha. South Africa turned the young lawyer Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi into the leader he later became. Sanjay, a fledgling politician here, is billed there as a ‘comrade’ for the Gandhigiri wave he brought into 21st century India through Lage Raho Munnabhai. He flies out today.

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“He has been personally invited by ANC president Jacob Zuma for an election rally in the huge Indian township of Chatsworth,” says Dharam Oberoi of Sanjay Dutt Productions. “When Sanjay heard how popular the Munnabhai character was in that place, he was eager to be a part of this campaign.” The itinerary includes a visit to the Mahatma Gandhi Settlement at Phoenix, where the community centre and school started by Gandhi are still in operation.

One interesting point: the ANC has had very close ties with the Congress over the years, and the actor recently spurned his father’s party to join the Samajwadi Party.

‘Not playing Sonia’
Meanwhile, Katrina Kaif, who plays the lead in Prakash Jha’s Rajneeti, insists her role is not modelled on Sonia Gandhi. “My character goes through life-changing events and learns from every experience. She’s not inspired by Sonia Gandhi. You can draw parallels with so many others,” says Kat.

Agencies, Inputs from Princy Jain and Hiren Kotwani