Punjab’s political parties have repeatedly turned to singers, actors, and comedians in the hope that popularity on screen and stage would translate into votes. While several entertainers have tasted electoral success over the decades, only a few have managed to build enduring political careers, with many failing to sustain public support or remain meaningfully connected with their constituencies. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has perhaps relied the most on star power in Punjab. The party first tasted major success with Bollywood actor Vinod Khanna, who represented Gurdaspur several times and emerged as one of the few actor-politicians who maintained a visible connection with voters. After Khanna’s death, the BJP once again banked on a film star by fielding actor Sunny Deol from Gurdaspur in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Riding on both his popularity and the Narendra Modi wave in the border district of Punjab, Deol won comfortably.…