Any domain of human activity or profession has inherent issues most of which are not popularly available for public knowledge or consumption. Ordinary people anywhere are simple and gullible. They are easily moved and shaken up by creatures that are engaged in the world of false, outwardly glamour. The movie world is, therefore, called the tinsel town.
Recently, a young rising actor died in mysterious circumstances. His controversial girlfriend and other linked acquaintances are in trouble mainly because they have been found to be habitual narcotic substance users.
Sushant Singh Rajput committed suicide as per preliminary police investigations. Family and fans screamed ‘Murder!’ But police failed to sniff homicide.
A nationwide frenzied cry provoked courts to put the CBI to investigate the matter though by now, they have not been able to see much success. However they picked the drug link. So, the Narcotic Control Bureau came over and nabbed ‘girlfriend', her brother and some more associates.
Bollywood biggies, hitherto worshipped, are being exposed as mindless drug users and sinners for having engaged in nepotism to ensure own people rise and the real talented ones vanish into oblivion. Not so long ago, late Praveen Babi was used by many men including stars, directors, financers and producers to get her some fame and money by organising roles in movies. Ultimately, her life became miserable. Eventually, she died of loneliness-induced depression. She lived her last days on alcohol and drugs.
Then there were the underworld dons like Dawood Ibrahim who financed big movies to force their actors and actresses on producers. Three established directors were told sternly that they would be killed if they ignored artist recommendations.
Gulshan Kumar, the music mughal, was killed for not coughing out protection money and discarding two music directors Nadeem and Shravan.There are quite a few Bollywood wolves that keep nurturing the flesh industry by fleecing gullible girls into immoral activities that encourage the casting couch and the flesh-crazy vultures to have a good time. The political domain is equally bad in India. The immoral and devilish creatures in power politics too are known to be doing any sinister things without being exposed.
Political aspirants have to bribe decision-making crooks for election tickets and positions of authority. Scruples are considered inconsequential by a majority of politicians. The aspiring ones find it extremely easy to bribe their way to the top.
It was big story not very long ago that a small-time politician used to run a ‘land encroachment business' by only keeping happy the powerful ones in politics. He managed to remain out of jail. Political patronage made it possible for him to own a revolver and having two private armed guards. When his business grew bigger, he felt the need to become a ‘power politician' himself. They offered him the rank of a Gram Pradhan for a token sum of one million rupees. This was in the year 2009. He in return provided local goons for his mentors whenever they required them for rallies. He also organised grand alcohol-soaked stag parties for perpetually thirsty-hungry senior leaders who were ‘saintly glamorous' in public eyes.
This crook once revealed that a rank higher than his had to dish out five million rupees to become a Zila Prabhari. The amount quadrupled for every higher rank. That’s how one gets to see a petty businessman becoming a political figure overnight!
Interestingly, the Railways portfolio is a high-priced take in Indian politics. The Ministry had a separate Budget until 2014. The practice was stopped by the BJP Government by Suresh Prabhu when he became Railways boss. Significantly, the Railways is the biggest employer in India. And since the railways are considered the lifeline of the nation, merely by declaring a few new trains to run, a political creature can ensure huge votes in his constituency. Even PM Modi played the same trick by starting a Mumbai-Ahmedabad superfast train.
A big number of politicians have been caught in acts of scandalous sex.
There have been numerous incidences of politicians getting caught while watching pornography during the lawmaking sessions. The same crooks have been known for vehemently demanding a ban on porn sites and adult TV channels!
Incidentally, when India started making movies, no woman came forward to act. Men, including legendary Pran, played female roles. Devika Rani was the first female to play a role. She did a bold kissing scene those days. But Prime Minister Nehru ordered deletion of the entire scene despite him being a progressive, western-trained gentleman.There was this scandalous news of a secret phone conversation between actress Bipasha Basu and UP politician Amar Singh. But subsequent forensic test proved it was fake and the insiders said the test report was manipulated.
Amar Singh was once upon a time considered the ablest of political pimps who could pull any job involving top politicians, movie stars and businessmen during the 1990s. It was Singh who brought actress Jayaprada into UP politics. Jayaprada, who had failed to make dent in Andhra Pradesh as a politician, was elected from Rampur because of Amar Singh. Azam Khan and Amar Singh fell out in the party. Jayaprada later accused Azam Khan of circulating her fake nude photos. The news remained insignificant and no one cared to know more as she had become an elderly woman by then. But having borne a grudge from those days, during the general elections of 2019, Azam Khan gave a vulgar statement about Jayaprada: “I have seen which colour of underwear she wears.” Jayaprada did not react much, and the people cared a damn as her party had bitten dust.
All the same, it is only in Odisha where political creatures are kept under control in matters of behaviour with ordinary voters and making money on the sly by abusing authority. The Naveen Patnaik administration has made sure the politicians, irrespective of their glamour and grandeur, have to remain servants of the people.
If by any mistake, they commit an ethical or behavioural blunder, they turn things of the past instantly. The politicians of Odisha are, therefore, a highly respected lot.