Arun Govil is pleased that the people of Meerut showed enough belief in him to vote him to victory in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Now a Member of Parliament, he says, “When you put effort into something and achieve it, it feels nice. There will always be apprehensions when you enter a new field. I don’t know much about what you call ‘raajneeti’ today, Mujhe utni zyaada aati bhi nahi, aur maine ki bhi nahi hai jise raajneeti kehte hain aaj ki bhaasha mein. I just wanted to do social work, and that’s what I will focus on.”

When asked if he will continue his acting career or quit, Govil adds, “I will continue acting a bit. The thing that made me popular and known today, I can’t leave that. I haven’t entered politics for business, so I need an avenue to run my household. I will take up limited work so that my social work through politics doesn’t get affected. That is my priority.”

Speaking of his work in showbiz, his next big project is an adaptation of Ramayana by filmmaker Nitesh Tiwary, where Govil stars as Dashrath alongside Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Ram. Interestingly, his TV show Ramayana co-star Dipika Chikalia recently remarked that people are “making a mess” of the epic through various adaptations.

When asked about this, Govil responds, “That is her personal belief. Every person has their own views, so we shouldn’t comment on that; we don’t have the right to.”

After a series of political films on the big screen, it's time for politics itself. On June 4, multiplex chain MovieMax will screen the Lok Sabha election results live across its theatres in Maharashtra, in a first. Bookings are now open online for the six-hour-long show that will begin at 9 am. mid-day has learnt that the film exhibitor’s decision was motivated by the audience’s apparent response to the screening of the Ram Mandir inauguration.

“MovieMax received a positive response to the Ram Mandir ceremony. We have also screened the T20 tournament earlier. We will do it again for the next edition. Such non-film events also become celebrations for the audience. The election results can also be looked at as a festival, where people having different favourites come together under one roof, combined with entertainment that we provide via surround system, big screen and food options,” the source said.

Close to 12 slots have been allotted across MovieMax theatres. The insider said the theatre chain is in talks to get permission for screenings in other states. “Right now, local authorities across states are busy with elections. But we are hopeful that we will get to screen the results in other states as well,” the insider said.

Aware that screening election results can cause in a politically charged environment, the multiplex chain wants to ensure tight security in and around the premises. “As the local authorities are informed, we will get enough help from them. At the same time, our own security will be tight enough. In a closed environment, even if there’s any disturbance, it can be dealt with quickly. We understand security concerns but we are confident that our audience will have a smooth experience,” the source said.