BOLLYWOOD celebrities including Asha Bhosle, Rajinikanth, Dharmendra and Ekta Kapoor have congratulated the ruling Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Lok Sabha Polls result after current trends indicate a clean sweep for the party for a second consecutive term.
This year, actors like Sunny Deol, Urmila Matondkar, Shatrughan Sinha and Prakash Raj among others contested polls.
While Sunny, a BJP candidate from Gurdaspur is leading by over 82,000 votes, Urmila is trailing against BJP's Gopal Shetty in Mumbai North.
Dharmendra took to Twitter to congratulate both his son and PM Narendra Modi with a picture of the two.
"Faqeer Badshah Modi Ji, Dharti puttra Sunny Deol, Congratulations. Achhe Din Yaqeenan Ayen ge (Dervish-king Modi ji, son of soil Sunny Deol, Congratulations. Good days will definitely arrive)" the veteran actor captioned the post.
Dharmendra also congratulated his wife, actor Hema Malini, who is contesting from a BJP ticket from Mathura for the second time in a row. She is currently leading with over 180,000 votes.
"Hema, Congratulations. We love Mother India, we have proved in Bikaner and Mathura. We will keep our (national flag) flying. Always," he said referencing to his own win from Bikaner in 2004.
Malini, on her part, credited Modi for BJP's win.
"What a clean sweep!The opposition & the Congress silenced totally! Modiji, after having suffered so many insults, many personal, stands totally vindicated as a true nationalist in whom the masses have reposed complete faith & view as a leader who can make India excel in all spheres," the actor tweeted.
Rajinikanth, who has been planning his political debut for a while now, congratulated Modi for the win.
"Respected dear @narendramodi ji hearty congratulations... You made it !!! God bless," the South superstar wrote on Twitter.
Producer Ekta Kapoor posted a picture on Instagram with her son Ravie sitting in front of the TV, watching the results for Amethi, where her long-time friend and former actor Smriti Irani is contesting from.
"All eyes on Amethi, we are rooting for our aunt," she captioned.
Futher, in a tweet, the producer said the country has "decided its leaders for the next five years and most Indians are on different platforms seeing them emerge! JAI HIND!"
Actor Riteish Deshmukh took to Twitter and wrote, "India has decided - Democracy needs to be celebrated. Many Congratulations to our Hon Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji on this huge verdict."
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur in a tweet wondered why the world "does not want to believe the Indian Voter has a mind of its own."
"The rubbish I have been reading makes them look like sheep following a herd. 85 million are first time voters who voted for a better future. The results will declare who they believe will give it to them," he tweeted.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta wrote that it is time for "many of us to understand the changed narrative of our times".
"People have voted and their vote is for a firm and stable government at the centre. Was there any need for the violent, vitriolic and personal campaign run by parties, leaders and media?"
On a lighter note, the election also saw actor Sunny Leone trend on Twitter after a leading TV anchor slipped up during his election broadcast, mistakenly saying "Sunny Leone" instead of "Sunny Deol".
The joke was not lost on Leone, who joined the meme-fest with her own tongue-in-cheek remark. "Leading by How many votes?" she tweeted with a wink emoji.
Amid the congratulatory messages, there were some who could not help but take a pot shot at the condition of the opposition in India.
"BJP ki vishaal jeet ke liye saare Vipaksh ko badhaaiyaan. Aap sab ke sehyog ke bina ye jeet lagbhag namumkin thi. (Congratulations to the Opposition for the great victory of BJP. This win was nearly impossible without your support)," actor Deepak Dobriyal wrote on Twitter.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)