Rajesh Hamal arguably is the most popular celebrity the Nepali movie industry has seen in its relatively short history. Since making his debut in 1988 with the movie Yug Dekhhi Yug Samma, Hamal has gone on to star in hundreds of other movies, and is often cited as the only “superstar” of the Nepali cine-sphere. Eloquent, well-versed and sporting an iconic mane, the actor—dubbed a ‘Mahanayak’ by many fans—has also gone on to leave a mark as a quiz master and brand ambassador for many social causes and products, making him one of the most recognised and liked personalities in the country. But would he make a good politician?

Actor Karishmaa Manandhar definitely seems to think so. 

Posting on Facebook on Monday evening, Manandhar insinuated that Rajesh Hamal should run for the mayor of Kathmandu, and that if he did, he could bank on getting her vote. “My suggestion to Rajesh Hamal,” Manandhar’s post in Nepali read, “If you are concerned about the Nepali society and the country, you should run for the mayor of Kathmandu in the elections. My vote is yours.” 

Manandhar’s post comes at the heels of Hamal expressing his views on how President Bidhya Devi Bhandari was received by an Indian state minister during her official state visit to India. The post, in which Hamal lamented how the “Government and leaders have not just tarnished their image in international arena but have also deeply wounded the pride of citizens” quickly went viral on social media, garnering five thousand likes from his fans on the social media platform.

Last week, speaking to the Post in Nepalgunj, actor Hamal had admitted that he hasn’t given joining politics a serious thought but he stopped short of ruling it out altogether. “Politics and Arts are different in nature. Politics thrives on division: Everybody wants to divide and rule. There’s no such thing as working and growing together, ‘the greater good’ or ‘holistic goodwill’ is never a matter of concern,” he said, “Arts on the other hand is just the opposite. It unites: it brings people together, it ties people together.” He also went on to say that politics is not inherently bad and if people are willing to work together, it would reap great results. “If I ever come across a party or leadership that shares the same idea, I might join politics in the future,” he said.

The idea of celebrities swapping the screen for a pulpit isn’t new. In recent years, actors Komal Oli, Rekha Thapa and Manandhar herself have made forays into politics. In fact, Oli has recently been touted as a potential mayoral candidate for the Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City in Dang in the upcoming elections.

Around the world too, celebrities have been able to translate their popularity into votes. Former US President Ronald Regan—who rose from being a B-lister Hollywood actor to becoming a firebrand for the conservatives—is one such actor who made a successful transition from the silver screen into politics. Donald Trump, Arnold Schwarzenegger and US senator Al Franken are some other notable examples from the States. To the south in India, some of the biggest Bollywood celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Smriti Irani, among others have dipped their toes into politics and governance as well. 

Will Rajesh Hamal follow in their footsteps and become a unifying voice in these polarised times? Only time will tell. 

The deadline for individuals to file their candidacy for the local election elapses on April 29.