How Bunty and Babli have livened up Jharkhand’s poll discourse

Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi has always been known for his creativity, but the election seems to have sparked the finest workings of his grey matter. In a sharp swipe at Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife, Kalpana Soren, Marandi has likened them to the famous reel-life con duo from the 2005 Hindi film Bunty Aur Babli, implying the power couple are deceiving the people of Jharkhand.
Previously secure in the JMM’s slogan “Hemant hain toh himmat hai”, Soren has neither flinched nor rejected the dramatic comparison. Instead, he delivered a sharp riposte, reminding Marandi that Bunty Aur Babli was, in fact, a superhit—and that the Sorens would be too, in the real world of Jharkhand politics. They are, as it seems, determined to play the winning pair once again in the Jharkhand election.
As campaigning gears up in Jharkhand, a state set for two phases of polling on November 13 and 20, the rhetoric is heating up in ways reminiscent of a Bollywood potboiler. Marandi has been striking hard at Soren—someone he once supported during the government’s formation in 2019—accusing the Sorens of “hoodwinking” the people of Jharkhand by pulling off political cons while pretending to champion public interests.
For the uninitiated, Bunty Aur Babli features Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji as two small-town dreamers who, frustrated by their mundane lives, transform into master con artists. They assume various personas, pulling off elaborate heists and fooling everyone—from corrupt politicians to the common man. Their exploits become increasingly outrageous, but what makes the film so entertaining is their audacity, charm and the public’s inability to see through their act—until they are eventually caught.
Now, on the political stage in Jharkhand, Marandi’s analogy suggests that Hemant and Kalpana Soren, much like their reel-life counterparts, are pulling off scams under the guise of public service and deceiving the electorate for personal gain. The BJP chief’s claim is that Soren has mastered the art of political conmanship, using populist policies and regional politics to retain power, while allegedly sidestepping corruption charges.
But here’s the twist—in a move worthy of a plot reversal, Hemant Soren, far from being insulted, has almost embraced the comparison. He suggested that he and his wife would make an unbeatable pair in the upcoming elections, just like the movie’s titular characters did on the silver screen. “My wife had to enter politics after they sent me to jail on false charges. They claim it’s a government run by Bunty and Babli. Let me remind them, Bunty Aur Babli was a superhit film, and it will be a superhit this time as well.”
Touché. It is indeed a clever comeback, with Soren turning the original insult into a strength.
Interestingly, the analogy gets even more layered when considering the underlying themes of Bunty Aur Babli. Much like the characters in the film, Soren has positioned himself as a Robin Hood-like figure—taking on the “big bad establishment” (in this case, the central government). He has consistently criticised the BJP-led central government’s alleged overreach in Jharkhand, accusing them of using investigative agencies to launch politically motivated cases against him. In his narrative, he is the underdog, cornered but fighting back against a system rigged against him.
Kalpana Soren, in Hemant’s version of events, was compelled to enter politics due to these injustices. And, true to the Bunty-Babli trope, they are battling the odds, standing up to the “big guns” who, according to Hemant, represent an oppressive regime.
The irony here is striking. In this metaphorical universe, Marandi seems to be casting himself in the role of the dogged lawman, chasing down the Sorens and trying to expose their alleged “con”. Yet, Marandi, the first chief minister of Jharkhand who was forced to step down in 2003 after alliance partners revolted against him, is no stranger to controversial figures in his political fold.
For example, the BJP’s current ranks include former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, who was convicted in 2017 in a coal scam. Recently, on October 18, the Delhi High Court rejected Koda’s plea to have his conviction suspended. Also, the BJP’s first list of candidates features names such as Kamlesh Kumar Singh and Bhanu Pratap Singh, who had been arrested on corruption charges. As neither has been convicted, both are free to contest the election.
Indeed, Jharkhand is no stranger to Bunties. Over the years, the state has seen several former ministers, including Enosh Ekka, Harinarayan Rai and Bandhu Tirkey, convicted on corruption charges. Nevertheless, much like Amitabh Bachchan’s character in Bunty Aur Babli, Marandi is relentlessly pursuing the Sorens, following their every move, and hoping to catch them out before they pull off their next electoral “heist”. This election could well be the last chance for the 66-year-old Marandi to stage a comeback and reclaim the chief ministerial post that was abruptly snatched from him 21 years ago.
But here’s the rub—just like in the film, the real con might not be so easy to pin down. Who is really fooling whom in this election? Is Hemant Soren deceiving the people as Marandi claims, or is he simply playing the game better, turning the BJP’s accusations to his advantage?
As Jharkhand heads into this electoral contest, one thing is clear: the Sorens, much like their cinematic counterparts, are charismatic, audacious and unabashedly confident. And just like the blockbuster duo, they appear determined to walk away from the political “heist” with more votes than anticipated.
In both Bollywood and politics, after all, the real con isn’t what’s being sold—it’s what the audience buys.
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