Singer Babul Supriyo took a career shift when he joined politics in 2014. Now, as he part of All India Trinamool Congress and Member of Rajya Sabha, he feels that he would rather be known as a public representative than a politician.
Ahead of West Bengal election results, Babul highlights how cinema often
He says, “I hate being called a politician because a politician is often used as a term to define ‘evil’ – say in a Bollywood film, when you wish to have a villain who can commit any heinous crime under the sun, just make him a Politician like Jameer Jamali (character in Dhurandhar) and he will justify all event and do them nearly too..”
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Babul wants to be considered as someone who gets the job done and serves people.
“I call myself a public representative who love to ‘get job done’ on the ground as per the direction of your boss, be it the Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi and CM Mamata Banerjee and luckily I have worked under both.. I also don’t think Politics alone should be called a ‘Thankless Job’! No, if you have done good work for the people and have not resorted to any kind of mischief, they thank you everywhere they get to meet you,” says Babul, who remains active in showbiz. He recently released the remix version of classic track Inteha Ho Gayi, bringing back the nostalgia and adding another chartbuster to his long list of discography.
Several public figures from films and sports in the past have joined politics and continue to do so, however, he feels that the showbiz or spotlight can only take you so far.
“Star status can make you win your first election, history stands proof.. but if you behave like a star and don’t perform, you will lose the second election very badly.. Singers and Public Representatives are both prepaid !! Yes, they are ! Like tickets for a singer’s concert are bought by the audience and he or she goes on stage only after full remuneration is paid, MP, MLA are also elected first and then they the ‘janta’ gets to know if it was the right choice.. in both cases the individual is paid fully or voted to win with the hope that they will perform very well,” he says.
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