The makers of the biopic PM Narendra Modi might have denied any connection with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the Election Commission of India, but lead actor Vivek Anand Oberoi is not shying away from a political entry in the future.
The actor admitted as much during an interactive session with students of Parul University in Vadodara.
Oberoi is playing the role of prime minister Narendra Modi in the biopic directed by Omung Kumar B. The film, scheduled for release on 11 April, ran into trouble with the Election Commission after the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) accused it of being an attempt to manipulate and influence voters during the forthcoming general election.
Even as the Election Commission eventually passed the buck to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Oberoi made the statement that he would consider taking the plunge in politics next year.
The actor, speaking with students of Parul University, Vadodara, in an interactive session on Sunday, admitted that he would contest the Lok Sabha election from Vadodara if given a chance.
The Press Trust of India news agency quoted Oberoi as saying, “If I join politics, I might think of contesting from Vadodara in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections just because of the love and affection people gave PM Narendra Modi when he contested from here.”
The actor has also been roped in as a star campaigner for the BJP for the upcoming general election, which begins on 11 April. The actor was named in a list put out by the party alongside political heavyweights like Union home minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.
The film still faces a few hurdles before its release. A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of India by a Congress leader against the film’s release during the election. The court had scheduled the hearing for today.