'He is a good comedian, but...' When Rajesh Khanna took a dig at Navjot Singh Sidhu's political acumen, slammed ex-MP Vinod Khanna for 'ditching his people'

Rajesh Khanna, India’s original superstar known for redefining romance on the silver screen in the 1960s and 70s, also took a turn toward political life. Though his political career was comparatively brief, he remained associated with the Indian National Congress from 1984 until his passing in 2012. Between film sets and political campaigns, Khanna maintained his loyalty to the party and continued to actively promote its causes. One of his final campaigns was during the 2012 Punjab Assembly elections, where he did not hold back from voicing strong criticisms against rival politicians.

Sharp Critique of Vinod Khanna

In a 2012 interview with PTI, just months before his death, Rajesh Khanna publicly criticized fellow actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinod Khanna. He expressed disappointment over Vinod’s alleged failure to fulfill campaign promises made to voters in Gurdaspur, especially a commitment to establish a film academy. According to Rajesh, the public lost trust in Vinod for not delivering on his promises and eventually voted him out.

“I would never like to ditch my own people with hollow promises like other politicians. I am of the opinion that when you are not able to serve the masses, then don’t make fake promises to them since these are the sins," he told the agency.

Vinod Khanna had first secured the Gurdaspur parliamentary seat on a BJP ticket in 1997 and retained it in both 1999 and 2004. Although he lost the seat in 2009, he returned to Parliament in 2014. During his time in politics, Vinod also served in important roles, including Minister of State for External Affairs and Union Minister for Culture and Tourism. He died in 2017 following a battle with cancer.

Targeting Navjot Singh Sidhu

Rajesh Khanna also directed sharp comments at Navjot Singh Sidhu, the cricketer-turned-politician who had successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar in 2004 and 2009 as a BJP candidate. Khanna acknowledged Sidhu’s talent in the entertainment space, particularly as a judge on The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, but argued that such skills didn’t qualify one for politics. He stressed that governance required seriousness, implying that Sidhu’s approach was not aligned with political responsibilities.

Khanna admitted that Sidhu was a good comedian, but "politics is not comedy" in an old interview.

Sidhu’s Political Trajectory

Navjot Singh Sidhu’s political path saw several shifts over the years. After being denied a BJP ticket in 2014 for the Amritsar seat, he claimed he wouldn’t contest from any other constituency. However, in 2016, he launched a short-lived party called Aawaz-e-Punjab. The following year, he joined the Indian National Congress and won a seat in the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections. He was later appointed Minister of Tourism and Local Bodies in the state government. Sidhu stepped down from the cabinet in 2019 and went on to contest the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, which he ultimately lost.

Rajesh Khanna's Own Political Career

Rajesh Khanna himself served as a Member of Parliament from the New Delhi constituency between 1992 and 1996 on an INC ticket. After his term, he withdrew from active politics but remained a committed campaigner for the Congress until his death.