<p> <br />“I am silently involved in lot of social work, including in the areas of HIV/AIDS, transgenders and cancer. But being in politics gives a larger platform to work better,” she said here.<br /><br />Relieved after the Supreme Court quashed 22 criminal cases filed against her for her comments on pre-marital sex, “politics is the next step,” she said. <br /><br />“I like the Congress as I grew up with Congress people such as (late actor) Sunil Dutt around me. I have seen Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde working as a common party man in my locality. I have seen them around me. But I have not taken a call on joining the Congress,” she said. <br /><br />She said she is a “great admirer” of Indira Gandhi, and a “big fan” of Rajiv Gandhi while her husband, actor-director Sundar C, is a fan of Priyanka Wadra. Before deciding to take a plunge into politics, she “will think about family and acting as family comes first and acting is her passion,” she said.<br /><br />Looking back at the court battle, the actress, who once ruled the roost in Tamil filmdom with fans even constructing a temple for her, is happy that the court upheld her right to freedom of speech and expression.<br /><br />“The SC came down very strongly on the people who went against me, against the media, and a few people who were trying to malign me and create problems,” she said. She said she only cautioned women to protect themselves against “unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, if they were involved in pre-marital sexual relationships.” <br /><br />In a lighter vein, she thanked the parties which had launched a campaign against her, for making her realise her strength and resilience. However, she was quick to add it was not a personal victory but of freedom of speech and expression.</p>
<p> <br />“I am silently involved in lot of social work, including in the areas of HIV/AIDS, transgenders and cancer. But being in politics gives a larger platform to work better,” she said here.<br /><br />Relieved after the Supreme Court quashed 22 criminal cases filed against her for her comments on pre-marital sex, “politics is the next step,” she said. <br /><br />“I like the Congress as I grew up with Congress people such as (late actor) Sunil Dutt around me. I have seen Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde working as a common party man in my locality. I have seen them around me. But I have not taken a call on joining the Congress,” she said. <br /><br />She said she is a “great admirer” of Indira Gandhi, and a “big fan” of Rajiv Gandhi while her husband, actor-director Sundar C, is a fan of Priyanka Wadra. Before deciding to take a plunge into politics, she “will think about family and acting as family comes first and acting is her passion,” she said.<br /><br />Looking back at the court battle, the actress, who once ruled the roost in Tamil filmdom with fans even constructing a temple for her, is happy that the court upheld her right to freedom of speech and expression.<br /><br />“The SC came down very strongly on the people who went against me, against the media, and a few people who were trying to malign me and create problems,” she said. She said she only cautioned women to protect themselves against “unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, if they were involved in pre-marital sexual relationships.” <br /><br />In a lighter vein, she thanked the parties which had launched a campaign against her, for making her realise her strength and resilience. However, she was quick to add it was not a personal victory but of freedom of speech and expression.</p>