Artist stray from film to politics

Film director Iqbal Durrani eyes Godda parliamentary seat

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Thursday, October 23, 2008

'Come on youth, Make Godda good'. This is not the part of the any dialogue of a Hindi movie rather a 'political overture' of Iqbal Durrani, the noted film director and producer who is trying to start a new inning in Jharkhand politics by contesting the forthcoming parliamentary election from Godda, his home town.

For Jharkhand it is for the first time when a noted cine personality has tried to make room for him in the state politics.

Durrani who is credited with directing writing scripts and dialogues for more than six dozen of films has produced blockbusters like Kohram and Fool Aur Kante, with Amibah Bacchan and Ajay Deogan as star-cast.

It would be after a long span of time the director again moved to the rough terrain of politics. Earlier he had contested election of the president of the students union of Tata College, Chaibasa during his college day- the only Muslim who contested and won election of the student union so far, he revealed.

Durrani who is reported to seeking ticket from the BJP has met BJP state president PN Singh and leader to opposition in the State Assembly Arjun Munda and also senior central party leaders including Sushma Swaraj. He is also in touch with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Bahujan Samaj Party. In this connection he met the JMM chief Shibu Soren on Wednesday.

What prompted him to join politics at a time when film heroes with impressive dialogues and caliber on screen perform shabbily as public representative inside the Parliament and in their constituencies? Durrani, while taking to ‘The Pioneer’ on Tuesday night in the state capital, Durrani as a seasoned politician who has done enough home work to assess the electoral mood of the people said, “I am joining politics with full devotion knowing my responsibility towards people who want development in Godda. I can not fight shy of my responsibility towards my own people who expressed faith in me”.

It is evident that Durrani has been associated with Godda which is also his home town and claimed to have been associated with several developmental projects here. “During my interaction with the people and the problem I faced during executing developmental projects I came to conclusion that I could be more in the command of things if I represent them” , he revealed.

Durrani who some three months back held an impressive 22 KM long Pad Yatra in Godda has given sufficient hint that he was equally serious and resolute to contest election even as an independent if he fails to get ticket from the BJP and other parties. Claiming his Pad Yarta a turning point in making people aware to raise their problems and demand its solutions, Durrani hoped that his fair, apolitical image would be decisive in his election.

Knowing well the political chemistry of the state might go against his aspiration to seek ticket from some national parties but Durrani has stirred the politics of Godda with his door to door campaign and public meeting. Not happy with the developments in Godda he said that the sitting MP of Godda had no time to raise the issue of under-development of Godda in the Parliament. Whether he get party ticket and wins the election, would become clear in the coming days but his presence could be enough to disturb the political calculation of many seasoned politicians.