#BollywoodSplit: Star politics over anti-Modi letter trend on Twitter

If polarisation is the theme of the 2014 Lok Sabha election, then Bollywood has also got in on the act - and rather well at that. On what is India’s biggest election day, one of the hashtags trending was #BollywoodSplit. An appeal signed by about 60 colleagues, urging people to protect the country’s ‘secular foundation’ has the film fraternity split down the middle over the letter’s overt anti-Narendra Modi stance. The Indian Express reports that the initiative by screenwriter Anjum Rajabali has led to others questioning the anti-Modi propaganda within tinseltown. [caption id=“attachment_1482531” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The film fraternity is split down the middle over an anti-Modi appeal. PTI[/caption] Rajabali admits that though the appeal does not name any one party, the reference certainly is to the BJP. “It’s absolutely clear that we are referring to any party that does not have a secular approach, which means the right wing BJP and its allies,” he is quoted as saying. Director Madhur Bhandarkar kicked off a debate on the issue on Twitter, asking why a “secular place like Bollywood” is being sought to be divided “in the garb of stopping so-called divisive forces”. 

  He said it’s “time India got a visionary leader” and posted his support for Modi.

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He was supported by ANupam Kher, who was seen previously at india Against Corruption events with Kejriwal’s colleagues, and whose wife Kirron is now a BJP candidate. Others who came out in support of Bhandarkar were Tusshar Kapoor and producer Ashoke Pandit. The Indian Express reported: While Mahesh Bhatt supported Rajabali’s appeal, his brother Mukesh, who is also the president of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, objected to the way the letter was being made out to be the industry’s voice. “We, as an industry, are apolitical and such a letter can hold sway over people one way or the other,” he said. One of the signatories was director Hansal Mehta (National Award winner for film Shahid). He supported  Rajabali’s appeal, stating that he supports AAP and therefore the appeal was not Congress propaganda. “It is not what we meant (anti-modi and pro-Congress), that is not the interpretation. We are appealing to people to vote for someone who is secular. Though majority of people in this country are Hindus but there are Muslims, Parsis, Christians and others as well. So one (party or person) should take care of everyone,” veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt told PTI. Expectedly, Twitter was abuzz on Thursday morning, some attacking those who supported the initiative, others adding some generally derisive comments about Bollywood.

  PTI reported that Actor Vivek Oberoi, who has been campaigning for BJP, believed that everyone has the right to voice their opinion. “It is not only about voting for someone who is secular but other issues like corruption, quality education and health care, good roads etc need to be addressed too,” Vivek told PTI.