Mumbai: Bollywood’s contribution to politics has so far been above average. If you thought only yesteryears heroes like Sunil Dutt and Dharamendra have shown interest in politics, think again. The generation next in Bollywood has also shown a lot of interest in political potboilers.

It's a journey few make – from the powerful maze of politics to the glitz and glamour of Bollywood. But Chirag Paswan, son of Cabinet Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, says he's willing to take the road less travelled.

“I have not given up engineering, however I have not given up politics either,” politically correct Chirag Paswan says.

Ritesh Deskhmukh, son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, is the only other actor with political roots. And he admits that he knows that politics and Bollywood have plenty of similarities.

“I know that you're only there in business as long as people like your work. That is how politics and films are similar,” Ritesh said.

The road from Bollywood to politics is more popular. The late Sunil Dutt made it to Parliament five times and was a cabinet minister after a 30-year career in Bollywood.

Dharmendra is a Lok Sabha MP, and his wife Hema Malini a Rajya Sabha MP. The proverbial shatru of Bollywood, Shatrughan Sinha, has been a cabinet minister twice for the BJP, while glamour girl Jaya Prada is now with the Samajwadi Party after a brief alliance with the TDP.

Amitabh Bachchan, however, has not had an easy journey. He quit in 1987 barely three years into his Lok Sabha term and while he remains close to the Samajwadi Party, his wife Jaya is a Rajya Sabha MP. And the Big B's take on politics is clear.

“I don't want to do politics,” Bachchan says.