From politics to screen

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national secretary Sidharth Nath Singh has been offered a role in a Bengali film. Singh, a grandson of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, has been asked to portray Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the earlier avatar of BJP, in Danga (The Riot), currently under production. Given Singh's resemblance to the late leader, his name was recommended for the role by Kolkata-based organisation Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Smarak Samity. The film-makers watched television and online video footage of Singh at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad before requesting him to accept the role. Singh has been the BJP's joint in-charge of West Bengal for the last few years and has picked up a smattering of Bengali. The film offer is awaiting approval from the BJP leadership.