Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Gulzar, John Abraham, Nana Patekar, Divya Dutta and Vishal Dadlani were among several prominent film and music personalities who cast their votes on Thursday during the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, using their presence to highlight the importance of civic participation.Gulzar arrived at a polling station in Mumbai to vote and appealed to citizens to actively take part in the democratic process. “We are rooted in our homeland, and your vote is to nurture those roots and to nurture democracy. So, be sure to fulfil this duty,” Gulzar said after casting his vote. John Abraham was also seen at a polling booth, exercising his right to vote.Aamir Khan, after casting his vote, spoke about the importance of voting and praised the arrangements at the polling booth. He said, “…I would tell everyone to definitely cast their precious votes. BMC has made very good arrangements here…”Akshay Kumar was among the first celebrities to vote on Thursday. His wife Twinkle Khanna also showed up to cast her vote. After casting her vote, Twinkle interacted with reporters. “I think it gives us a sense of control, a little bit of power over the narrative, and I am voting both out of habit and hope,” she said.Nana Patekar made an effort to participate, travelling nearly three hours from Pune to Mumbai early in the morning just to cast his ballot. Speaking to the media, the veteran actor said voting was a sign of one’s existence and responsibility as a citizen. Despite the long journey, he said he was happy to do his duty and urged others to follow his example.Divya Dutta, after casting her vote, described voting as both a right and a responsibility. She encouraged citizens to come out to vote. “It is our right to vote, and we should come out of our houses and cast our votes,” Dutta said. “I think we should think about issues like pollution, employment, and other important matters. The right leaders will listen to the right demands of Mumbaikars,” she added. Paresh Rawal, Junaid Khan, Hema Malini and Sonli Bendre were amongst others who cast their vote.
