Actor Neetu Chandra, who is also the icon of the Election Commission’s outreach to voters in Bihar, today shared what she decided to do when somebody offered her an opportunity to join politics.
At a lively, chatty session at NDTV’s Bihar Power Play in Patna, the actor said, “Trump’s team also contacted me.”
But, of course, it was a joke, the actor from Bihar who has worked in films such as ‘Garam Masala’ and ‘Traffic Signal’ said.
Chandra is a key public personality for the Election Commission’s SVEEP, or Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation programme, which encourages people to vote in large numbers for high turnout.
Chandra tackled several topics, from questions about the Bihari identity to her career in acting.
“A girl from a middle-class family to Hollywood, that has been my journey. There is a taboo against Biharis. If you accept Marathi, Punjabi accents, you have to accept ours as well. I always say that I will change my accent only when you ask me to do it on stage or for a role,” she said.
“I have been trying for 15 years to empower the people of Bihar. Change starts from your own home. It’s easy to criticise but difficult to fix the things that bother us. I request everyone to come and vote,” she added.
Chandra cited some examples from her experience in her acting career that made her stronger and confident.
“I am doing a Hollywood, a Hindi and a Bhojpuri film… I want to be the lead actor in all of them… You can be beautiful, presentable, but if you want to be an actor, you have to be ready for rejection and also ready to break open all the closed doors, only then go for this profession. If your Neetu didi can do it, all of you can do it,” she said, looking at the audience which included a large crowd of young people.
Chandra has worked hard with her production house, Champaran Talkies, to create employment opportunities, launch local talent, support women farmers, and uplift regional art and voices all rooted in Bihar.