Interesting: 'Item girl' Rakhi Sawant gets serious with politics

Rakhi Sawant, famously known as Bollywood's item girl aspires to someday become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Recently she joined Ramdas Athawale- led Republican Party of India - RPI (A) as National Executive President of its Women's wing. Rakhi Sawant had contested 2014 Lok Sabha Election wherein she had formed her own party – Rashtriya Aam Party (RAP). Her party performed miserably in the electoral battle with her scrapping only about 1,995 votes from North West Mumbai constituency. Rakhi Sawant is a controversial figure who is often in news for all the wrong reasons. Her bold statements often lead to contentious situations.Let us know more about the item girl – turned – politician of India.Rakhi Sawant was born on 25th November, 1978 as Neeru Bheda to Anandi Sawant. Her mother had married twice and Rakhi was born out of her first husband. Rakhi's second father was a police constable at Worli Police Station. Rakhi Sawant has two siblings. Her sister Usha Sawant was an actress and her brother Rakesh Sawant is a film director. She attended Goklibai High School in the Vile Parle suburb of Mumbai.After her schooling, Rakhi went on to study Arts at Mithibai College. Rakhi's parents were shocked and dismayed by her decision to take up a career in the film industry. Her father disregarded her choice as he considered ‘Bollywood a line full of disrespect'. He certainly would have been further dismayed to know that his daughter had now become infamous as bollywood's item girl. As a young girl, Rakhi was an accomplished dancer. She got her break at the age of 14 where she danced in the background for a song. Rakhi Sawant was appreciated for her first item number in 2000 opposite Govinda in the film Joru Ka Gulam. Rakhi's first major success as a dancer came as she performed in a popular item number – Mohabbat Hai Mirchi from the film Chura Liya Hai Tumne. After a stunning performance in this song, Rakhi Sawant was flooded with offers from movies that included Marathi, Telegu, Kannada and Tamil movies. But her role as an actress did not give her much recognition. The ‘item girl' tag clung on to her and she did work extremely hard on her dancing skills. Rakhi went on to shoot a number of video songs and albums.Some of Rakhi Sawant's most successful music videos include Pardesi from the album D J Hot Remix – Vol 3, Kajra Nite Remix (2006), Jhagda (2010), etc. Rakhi Sawant came into limelight in the year 2006 when Mika Singh, a popular Punjabi singing sensation tried to kiss her at his birthday party. This event was hyped by both the media and Rakhi Sawant who was all set to sue the singer, though she termed him as her ‘good friend'. In the same year, she participated in the 1st season of Big Boss. On the 30th day she was evicted from the house and was later given reentry. Here too, she always got entangled in controversies and brawl. She was skilled at weaving trouble for the housemates and often got in trouble for that. But despite all the war and brawling, Rakhi made it to the top four list of the contest as she did manage to keep the viewers engaged.Rakhi Sawant participated in numerous other reality shows like – Nachh Baliye 3. She contested with her ex boyfriend Abhishek Awasti and ended up as second runners up. In 2008 she participated in another dance competition – Yeh Hai Jalwa. Her group called Chillar party emerged victorious. Rakhi Ka Swayamwar was the most successful reality show of August 2009 and it gained maximum TRP. In this show, she was to choose her future life partner. Through this show, she decided to marry Elesh Parujanwala who was NRI from Toronto. After the show, the two broke their relation due to differences that were irreconcilable. Rakhi has appeared as guest on shows like Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Big Boss, 10 Ka Dum, Koffee with Karan, etc. She made her film debut in Agnnichakra under the name Ruhi Sawant. She went on to other small roles and dance numbers in the low-budget Bollywood films Joru Ka Ghulam, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hain and Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke.She has also acted in Masti and and Shahrukh Khan's Main Hoon Na as ‘Mini'.This year Rakhi Sawant again made news in her infamous election debut. On 26th March 2014 she expressed her intent to contest elections as an Independent candidate. She founded Rashtriya Aam Party. Her party symbol was green chilli. Previously Rakhi was hoping to get a ticket from the BJP but when they showed less interest in her, she whipped up the idea to form her own party.In the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, her party lost dismally and she later on resigned from her own party thereby accepting defeat. For Rakhi Sawant elections are a serious business. She had decided not to contest elections again until recently where she joined Ramdas Athawale- led Republican Party of India - RPI (A) as National Executive President of its Women's wing. According to Athawale, “she is a known face in every household. She is known not only in cities but in villages as well. Her popularity will definitely help us in the forthcoming elections”.Rakhi Sawant's maiden tryst in electoral politics may have been an utter failure but this determined girl has not lost an ounce of hope. She is back on the ground to participate in the upcoming assembly polls in Maharashtra and this time her target is Raj Thackeray. MNS chief Raj Thackeray will be contesting elections this time and Rakhi Sawant is prepared to take on him head on. Rakhi Sawant is often criticized for her attention seeking behavior and unnatural appearance. She has an outspoken and uncompromising attitude. She is a lady with immense courage. Her fearlessness at times gets on people's nerves. She does not take into account of people's opinion about her. She allows people to judge her the way they want too. Rakhi Sawant is a free spirited person, who goes as the winds of time take her. She believes in taking chances. Life may be full of hurdles but she is always willing to face each one of them. She knows what it is to rise when she falls.Like her or hate her, she will stand like a pillar that cannot be budged from the forefront unless her heart tells her so. Such is the determination of the item girl – cum- politician Rakhi Sawant.