The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in Mumbai witnessed a significant turnout of Bollywood celebrities. Eminent stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, and Akshay Kumar were among those who cast their votes on Monday. However, notable absentees included actors like Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Nora Fatehi, and Jacqueline Fernandez.
Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt’s absence from the voting booth can be attributed to her British citizenship. Despite being a prominent figure in the Indian film industry, Alia holds a British passport. While promoting her Hollywood debut ‘Heart of Stone’ alongside Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan, Alia revealed that she is a British citizen, as her mother was born in Birmingham, UK. Alia clarified, “My mom was born in Birmingham, but I was born and brought up in India.” This citizenship status prevents her from participating in Indian elections.
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Katrina Kaif
Katrina Kaif was also unable to vote because she holds British citizenship. Her father, Mohammed Kaif, is a British businessman of Kashmiri descent, while her mother, Suzanne Turquotte, is an English lawyer. Katrina has often expressed her Indian heritage and connection. She stated, “I am an Indian and my father is Indian. I have an Indian heritage… Although my mother is British, India has always been my home since the time I was 17.” Despite her deep ties to India, her British passport restricts her from voting.
Nora Fatehi
Nora Fatehi, known for her dancing skills and acting in Bollywood, holds a Canadian passport. She shared her journey in the Hindi film industry, emphasizing the hard work and dedication required to establish herself. However, her Canadian citizenship means she cannot vote in Indian elections.
Jacqueline Fernandez
Jacqueline Fernandez, born in Sri Lanka, holds Sri Lankan citizenship. Since her debut in Bollywood with Sujoy Ghosh’s film ‘Aladin’ in 2009, she has become a well-known figure in the industry. Nevertheless, her non-Indian citizenship bars her from participating in the Indian electoral process.
While the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in Mumbai saw many Bollywood stars exercising their democratic rights, the citizenship statuses of Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Nora Fatehi, and Jacqueline Fernandez prevented them from joining their peers in voting.