Mahie Gill seems to have taken her role as Home Minister Saraswati Devi from the recently released Raktanchal 2 a bit too seriously. The newest member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab has already begun campaigning for the state polls. On her agenda are matters such as putting an end to drug addiction, and women’s education.

The actor tells mid-day, “I have wanted to join politics since five years, but could not find the right platform and political support. Now, I have got it. If I am a known face today, why can’t I join politics and do something for the people? Sirf baatein karne se kuch nahi hota, we have to go there and do something.”

During her term, she will train her attention to education. “I am keen to open schools and change the mindsets of men and women. Girls in Punjab are left stranded when their husbands get married to green card-holders and settle abroad. Neither the girl’s parents, nor her in-laws want to take care of her. Where do they go? If you are educated, so many doors open up. We need good schools and healthcare.”

From reel to real, Gill admits her character served as motivation to take the leap. “I learnt a lot from there, and hopefully, when I do Raktanchal 3, I will go from real to reel again. When we were shooting for it, I had no idea what would happen in the future. On screen, things were quite like they are off it. But, when someone meets you and tells you their problem, that matters.”