Madhur Bhandarkar on PM Modi becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister: Country is in safe hands
Mumbai, June 10
National Award-winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar has congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming India's longest-serving Prime Minister, saying the country is in "safe hands."
Heaping praise on PM Modi's leadership and global popularity, the filmmaker said his 12-year tenure has been marked by significant development and progress, adding that people across the world admire his hard work and vision for the nation.
Bhandarkar told IANS: "I am very happy that PM Modi has been in office for so many years and has done very good work. Since 2014, we have seen a very remarkable journey. He is a very popular world leader. Wherever we go outside India, people speak highly of him and admire him. People are very fond of him."
"It feels great that he has completed such a long tenure of 12 years and has become the longest-serving Prime Minister. Very nice. Whenever I have met him, it has always been a very good experience..."
Bhandarkar said PM Modi has a very good sense of humour.
"He has a very good sense of humour. He makes people laugh. Whenever he meets, he meets with a lot of love."
Calling himself a fan of the Prime Minister, Bhandarkar added: "I have met him several times and have been a fan of him for a long time.... We have seen a lot of work and changes... If we see development overall, there has been a lot of progress.... The country is in safe hands."
He added: "Whenever I travel abroad or attend any film festival, people praise him a lot. Your PM is very hardworking. So, we feel very happy. I would like to congratulate him once again."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday became India's longest-serving Prime Minister, marking 12 years at the helm of the Central government. He crossed former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's record with 4,399 days in office as an elected Prime Minister.
Nehru's tenure from 1952 onwards is considered for this comparison, as he headed an interim government between 1947 and 1952 before the country's first general elections were held.
While former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi served for more than 14 years in office, her tenure was not continuous, making Modi the longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister in the country's history. He has served from his first swearing-in ceremony in 2014 to securing successive mandates in 2019 and a historic third consecutive term in 2024.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Madhur Bhandarkar is a respected filmmaker, and his words carry weight. I've personally seen how Indian leaders are now taken more seriously at international film festivals. The world definitely notices our PM's energy and vision.
Honestly, I'm tired of all this hero worship. Every PM has done something for the country. Let's appreciate the milestone but also question where we stand on farmer issues, unemployment, and freedom of speech. Just my two paise.
As someone who runs a small business, I've seen positive changes in ease of doing business and digital payments. PM Modi's focus on infrastructure has been good. But we still have a long way to go in healthcare and education. Balanced view needed!
"Longest-serving continuously elected PM" - that's a record worth acknowledging. I remember those days of unstable governments in the 90s. Now we have policy continuity and global respect. Time for a tea break and some reflection ☕
Interesting to see a filmmaker's perspective. From a neutral observer's standpoint, PM Modi has certainly put India on the world map. But I hope this long tenure doesn't lead to complacency. Democracy needs strong opposition too.
R We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.