Ojaswani Dixit, Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad
INTRODUCTION
The two most important aspects of politics are the support of the public and media coverage and attention. In recent times, media has been provided with several platforms through social media, influencing the general public's opinion on things ranging from trivial to significant. The political parties use these media platforms to garner stable mass support from the general public. When talking about media influence on the public, mentioning film stars and other influential celebrities goes without saying. With the passage of time various mediums which bridge the distance between the public and the politician had been adopted by political parties; Such mediums include film stars and other such influential celebrities. The modern easy reaching modes which have been utilized by film stars have assisted them in presenting their influence within politics. In older times, specifically the time before the Internet and smartphones spread like wildfire among the people, television served as a targeted medium for celebrities to carry out their “political influence”. The evolution of Internet as late the foundation of social media which since has been used by various age groups and hence, celebrities have the advantage of connecting with masses especially the upcoming youth of the country. Involvement of celebrities in a country's polity is not a new trend or phenomenon. Film and sports stars are often seen participating in their country's politics and also in certain cases leave behind such a legacy where they are better remembered for their work as a politician rather than their actual profession. There are several examples from around the world which highlight the participation of celebrities especially film and sports in politics. For example, Ronal Reagan, former US President (1981) was an actor before his presidency; Donald Trump, the 45th President of the USA was a businessman and a popular TV personality. The growing influence of celebrities in politics has led to the utilization of their fame and their established fandom and following as a platform which can be used to enter the field of quality or express their influence on political ideology and issues. Such politics can be better referred to as “celebrity politics”1.
