Actor Sayaji Shinde, who played Subramania Bharathi in the poet’s biopic, joins Ajit Pawar-led NCP

The actor will be the party's star campaigner for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, said Mr. Pawar.

Veteran actor Sayaji Shinde on Friday (October 11, 2024) joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party ahead of the Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

Mr. Shinde, who has acted in films in several Indian languages, including Bharathi, the tamil biopic of national poet Subramania Bharathi, joined the party in Mumbai in the presence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the party’s working president Praful Patel, and State unit chief Sunil Tatkare.

The actor will be the party's star campaigner for the Assembly elections, expected to be held next month, said Mr. Pawar.

"Shinde will be given due respect in the party," he added.

Speaking on the occasion, 65-year-old Mr. Shinde noted that he has played a politician in several films.

“I was impressed by Ajit Pawar’s style of functioning,” the actor said, adding that he interacted with Mr. Pawar when working for his favorite cause of afforestation. “To work more effectively, I need to be a part of the system,” he added.

Born in western Maharashtra's Satara district, Mr. Shinde started his acting career in Marathi theatre. His big break in Bollywood came with the 1999 film Shool where he played the villain.

Besides Marathi and Hindi, he has acted in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, English, Gujarati and Bhojpuri films.

State Minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal noted that Mr. Shinde’s filmography spans Marathi, Hindi and south Indian films. “We feel proud that he is being associated with us. Shinde is also a social activist,” Mr. Bhujbal said.

Bharati, starring Mr. Shinde and actor Devayani as the poet’s wife Chellamma, bagged the National award for Best Feature Film in 2001.

(With inputs from The Hindu Bureau)

Published - October 11, 2024 08:13 pm IST