The political arena in India opens its arms to people from all backgrounds without any bias. With that I mean, there are only few rigid rules regarding contesting in elections. Neither education nor experience nor credibility is a requirement. Infact, it looks like in order to be eligible to be in politics you must either belong to a political dynasty, the movie fraternity, or have criminal proceedings initiated against you. Dacoits and naxalites are also welcome. In case you are elected into a religious centric party, forget other pressing matters, you get to decide on what is unindian and thereby generate strikes and protests at your irrational whim and fancy. If you develop a Don Corleone image, movies will be made on your life. 

In the last couple of years, reality television has made its way into Indian homes in a big way. Famous international shows such as American Idol, Who wants to be a millionaire, Strictly come dancing etc have successful replicates for the Indian audiences etc. Indians are such an emotional lot. We cry and laugh along with our favourite contestants. Many of these shows have an audience-voting poll and the show is inundated with votes from all over India (mostly made on emotional basis). I wish we showed this sort of voting initiative during the elections of political candidates. Not that it matters, because if you are a gangster, fixing results is as easy as match fixing. Lately, reality TV has risen to new heights (or sunk to new lows). Sting camera operations. The modus operandi is catch corrupt politicians taking bribes or aiding in illegal trade via hidden cameras. This severely embarrassing exposes have called in the questions on personal privacy. If you were caught in some thing like this, you can always reiterate that it was your double on the tape, the tapped phone conversation was a fake, or your face/voice was morphed. 

While there is only one Hollywood in the USA, in India we have a Bollywood, Tollywood, Mollywood, and Kollywood etc. Bollywood must be the most favoured work place in India. You need little apart from looks and luck. The cine profession also has a lot of perks; fame, money, crazy fans etc (and the chance of a life time to shoot endangered animals with little legal consequences). According to a few sources, we make whopping 800 films a year (that’s a big number compared to the 75 films made yearly in Hollywood). This number I guess doesn’t exclude the remakes of the same movie made in different languages nor the Hollywood inspired (meaning copied frame to frame) ones. If you are a gangster and cannot openly do business, you may invest your black money into financing a Bollywood movie. That’s the solution your accountant would give you for any tax problem that may arise. As an extortionist you may extort money from the industry people you don’t like. To the people you like, you can gift guns and ammunition for their personal protection (against their dangerous fans) and they return the favour by dancing at your wedding party. You may return this favour by shooting your friend’s archrival in broad daylight on the streets.

Being a gangster has many incentives; apart from good non-taxable income, flexible hours and vacation in countries with no extradition treaties (with India), your job can take you places, from the movie world, to politics to the sports arena. Unfortunately in the underworld, there is no golden handshake; only abrupt exits. But if you are a skilled worker you can be sure you will never be laid off due to cost cutting. After retirement you have other employment options open to you, if nothing else at least the Indian politics or Bollywood.