- Title: INDIA: Bollywood stars cast vote, urge people to take to polls
- Date: 25th April 2014
- Summary: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL MUMBAI, INDIA (APRIL 24, 2014) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) ACTOR AMITABH BACHCHAN GETTING OUT OF CAR ACTOR ABHISHEK BACHCHAN WITH HIS MOTHER AND VETERAN ACTRESS JAYA BACHCHAN, AND HIS WIFE, ACTRESS AISHWARYA RAI BACHCHAN WALKING TOWARD POLLING STATION (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi/English) ACTOR, RANBIR KAPOOR, SAYING: "It would be unfortunate if young people do not vote, I hope this changes. I don't know what the consensus is, or how many middle aged people, or young people. It appeared to me that a lot of young people would turn up this time and vote, because you could hear a lot of voices (speaking up). You could hear a lot of people speaking their mind. So, I think it is quite sad if they speak on different live platforms but on the day when you are meant to speak, you are meant to exercise your right - you don't do it, it would be quite sad." VETERAN BOLLYWOOD ACTOR, RISHI KAPOOR, QUEUING TO VOTE KAPOOR SHOWING HIS INK STAINED FINGER (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) ACTRESS, PREITY ZINTA, SAYING: "The youth of today should vote because their votes are very important. And especially women, because 49 percent of India's vote belongs to women, and women voting is very important." VARIOUS OF ACTOR SHAH RUKH KHAN BEING ESCORTED INTO POLLING STATION KHAN SIGNING PAPER KHAN CASTING VOTE KHAN COMING OUT OF POLLING BOOTH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, SHAH RUKH KHAN, SAYING: "Elections and democracy is like a fire and how you keep the fire in front of you. If you turn your back to it your behind will catch fire and then you will be sitting on your blisters and have no right to complain for the next five years. So if there is fire in front of you, you need to take care of it in a good way douse it out, look after it, look after yourself and I think elections and democracy are like that. And I think everyone should come out and vote." ICONIC INDIAN CRICKETER SACHIN TENDULKAR ALONG WITH WIFE ANJALI TENDULKAR ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION TENDULKAR AND HIS WIFE ENTER POLLING STATION TENDULKAR CASTS VOTE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ICONIC INDIAN CRICKETER, SACHIN TENDULKAR, SAYING: "I think in a democratic nation like ours, every eligible voter must make an effort to vote and that is only reason I am here."
- Embargoed: 10th May 2014 04:37
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVACMWLSIMHOM29L15614FRIXGFA
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Bollywood starts and celebrities added a dash of glamour to the Indian elections on Thursday (April 24) as they took to polling booths in the country's entertainment capital, Mumbai.
Renowned actors from the Indian cinema urged people to cast votes on the second biggest day of polling in what is the world's largest election.
Nearly 180 million people are eligible to vote in the sixth phase in which 117 parliamentary seats are up for grabs, in an election that will decide the leadership for over 1.2 billion people.
The results are due to be announced on May 16.
Actor Amitabh Bachchan, his wife and veteran actress Jaya Bachchan could be seen arriving at a polling station in Mumbai. Followed by their son, Abhishek Bachchan and his wife, actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, a former Miss World.
Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor turned up to cast his vote accompanied by his father, veteran actor Rishi Kapoor.
Ranbir Kapoor said he hoped the elections would see a higher turnout from young voters.
"It would be unfortunate if young people do not vote, I hope this changes," he told journalists, after casting his vote. "It appeared to me that a lot of young people would turn up this time and vote, because you could hear a lot of voices (speaking up). You could hear a lot of people speaking their mind."
Actress Preity Zinta said women played an important role in the elections.
"49 percent of India's vote belongs to women, and women voting is very important," she said.
Actor Shah Rukh Khan reportedly shunned an awards ceremony to cast his vote. Walking out of the polling station the celebrity highlighted why democracy was important for the people of India.
"Election and democracy is like a fire and you feed the fire if it is in front of you. If you have to turn your back to it your behind will catch fire and then you will be sitting on your blisters and have no right to complain for the next five years. If there is fire in front of you, you need to take care of it in a good waydouse it out, look after it, look after yourself and I think election and democracy are like that. Everyone should come out and vote," said Khan.
Some Bollywood celebrities tweeted their disappointment over missing the opportunity to vote, with many attending the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA), which began in Tampa Bay, Florida on April 23.
Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar arrived at the Mumbai polling station to cast his vote accompanied by his wife Anjali Tendulkar.
"I think in a democratic nation like ours, every eligible voter must make an effort to vote and that is only reason I am here," he told journalists.
Several members of India's prolific and influential film and television industry have helped inject glamour into the general election by standing as candidates or by canvassing for friends or family members who are contesting in the polls.
Celebrities Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan have been involved in a media campaign aimed at educating the public about the benefits of elections and the power of their vote.
Voting on Thursday was the sixth of 10 rounds in India's five-week-election, with ballots cast in states including Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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