With one foot in films, Innocentwants to place another in politics

Innocent is a household name in Kerala.Portraying serious and comedy characters at equal ease, the talentedactor has carved out an exclusive space for himself in the Malayalam film world.

So it is no wonder that the whole stateprayed for his speedy recovery, when he was down with cancerrecently. In reel life, he played roles of politicians, ranging frompanchayat member to chief minister, in his immaculate style, butnobody thought that he would actually don the mantle of a politicianin real life.

Because of this popularity, the CPM has handpicked this die-hard believer to wrest Chalakudy, the traditionalCongress bastion. Innocent will take on P.C. Chacko, senior Congressleader and chairman of the JPC, which probed the 2G spectrum scam.

Many frown on Innocent's new avatarsince the political ambition of film personalities have not yetbloomed in this politically literate land. People have turned theirfaces against them when they step into the shoes of a politician.

The latest casualty is Murali. CPMfielded the national award winning actor in Alappuzha to capture theconstituency, another Congress bastion. Ever green hero of Malayalam film industry, late Prem Nazir wished to pursue a political career atthe fag end of his acting life, which spanned over four decades. Theentry of M.G. Ramachandaran and N.T. Rama Rao, his contemporaries inTamil and Telugu, in politics and their meteoric rise to power was anirresistible lure for Nazir. But he gave it up as people were notready to accept him as a politician.

Sour stories of his old colleagues donot dispirit Innocent. "I am here to win and I will," a confidentInnocent told dna, just before starting the day's campaign at sixin the morning.

He has done his homework well to facehis critics, who question his forte in socio-political activities.

"For the past several years, I havebeen the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), the only organisation of Malayalam film artistes andpatron of a body providing palliative care, several senior doctorsare associated with. Social work is not alien to me.''

If the people's will favours him, hewill devote most of his time to serve them, but will not hang up hisactor's hat. "No doubt my first priority is people, but leftovertime is for cinema. I believe politicians are corrupt in Indiabecause they have no occupation. So I want to work in my free time tobe clean in politics.''

He does not fear that the love-haterelationship between the Church and the CPM will put him, a RomanCatholic, in trouble. "I will stand by where the just stands."

He does not underestimate his opponent,but he is confident of his USP — innocence in real and reel life. @dna