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The Indian movie industry is the biggest entertainment industry on the planet. Indian movies are made in different Indian languages - Hindi, Bollywood, Telugu, Tollywood, Malayalam, Mollywood, Kollywood, Tamil, etc.
The main ingredient in most Indian films, particularly in Tamil films which is the focus in this article is heroism. There would be one main hero who will fight off 100 baddies single handed, talk punch dialogues like, "Oru thadave mudivu pannitena, en peche naane kekkamaaten," which means, "If I made up my mind once, I won't listen even to myself," or, "Panningge than kootama varum.. Singam, single ah than varum." which means,"Only pigs come in groups, a lion will come single," romance heroines in upbeat songs and have some sentiment thrown in for good measure along with a separate track or intertwined comedy.
Of course it is purely for entertainment purpose, an escapism from the frustrations from real life. But the problem starts when the distinction between real life and reel life gets blurred - when fans think what Rajinikanth and Vijay do on screen, they do in real life.
To understand this adulating scenario, we have to rewind to the past for a bit.
The newly independent India was in rags - the poor needed succor and they saw it in the form of MGR in movies. He was always portrayed as the poor people's saviour and the songs in his movies contain inspiring, motivating and empowering lyrics. The people at that time, began to literally worship MGR and it would not be wrong to say that MGR took advantage of his fans' extreme adoration of him both on screen and off screen. He surfed on the waves generated by his fans turned political supporters and MGR became the CM of Tamil Nadu.
Those Indian politicians with film background indulged in shenanigans and kept the people dumbed down and preoccupied with faultless heroism and that past generation passed the ignorant gene to today's generation.
Yesterday, MGR. Today, Rajinikanth. Tomorrow, Vijay.
And, Indian journalists contribute to this literal cretinism, perpetuating this madness. Everytime there is a press meet with Rajinikanth, the question, "Sir, will you enter politics?" will be raised by any journalists swarmed there. Imagine asking Bruce Willis such a question.
India today is progressive but along with computer geniuses, empty skulls walk among them and they are the ones who succumb to idolizing heroes that are movie stars, going to the extent of celebrating their birthdays lavishly and build temples for them. when they don't know the birth date of their parents who brought them up. Some fans put the names of their favourite heroes behind their names, forgoing the name of the man who gave them life.
Some fans take their admiration to extreme lengths. When the movie Enthiran, The Robot was released in theaters of Tamil Nadu, fans poured milk on Rajini's cutout. Women carried pal kudam (milk pots) so that the film would be a commercial success. Such rituals are carried out for Hindu deities in temples; it is not an overstatement to say that actors in India are given gods status. Acting is Rajinikanth's profession and his fans leave their professions and entreat to god so that he would make more money.
Below is a video of actor Sivakatikeyan talking about his adulation of Rajini:
He is saying that he had achieved the greatest height of his life after meeting Rajini. It is like Rajini's daughters saying they have accomplished the goal of their lives by being Rajini's daughters.
Now, technology, particularly Facebook is used to declare idolization and odium for heroes like Vijay, Ajith, Surya and the likes of them. Online wars are waged, over which hero is mass and which hero is piss. For example comments and counters like these are put forth:
"Singam 2 is major flop. Surya fans, hold a funeral for that eunuch!"
"Vijay movies grind the same plot over and over again and his acting sucks!"
Apart from engaging in verbal duel, derision is raised by photo shopping the stills of those actors they don't fancy.
While fans argue online, the actors are at work in shooting spots around the world, raking millions in minutes, living in mansions and dine fine. The fans live on pittance meanwhile. The most a fan can get from his favourite hero is an autograph. That is it. The fan can frame it and hang it in his hut. That is all he can do with the autograph; it won't put food on his table or fetch him a decent house.
In real life, Ajith, Vijay, Surya and the ones on the same league are good friends. They don't fight like cats and dogs like their fans do over the superiority and the inferiority of the actors of question. It is a blatant waste of time and is of no use whatsoever.
We don't see Americans saying they'll make Harrison Ford the president of the United States when he acted as the president of America in Air Force One. But, there is a mob out who after watching Thalaiva (which means leader in Tamil), starring Vijay as the protagonist, vying to make him the next PM of India. There is a Facebook page to support this quest. These lots seem oblivious of the fact that Vijay's every move, dialogue and deed in the movie is directed by a film director along with numerous technicians to make the movie. The distinguish between fantasy and fact gets grossly blurred here.
Actors mentioned above are fully aware of the fan fanaticism phenomenon and they condone it. Why? It is because the actors need such asinine, blind fans; it will bring them more excess. The only 2 actors who opposed such insanity publicly are Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth but their voices are drowned by the defeaning silence of other actors pertaining this issue.
A die hard fan of Vijay committed suicide because he didn't get to see the movie Thalaiva on the first day and first show and Vijay expressed his condolences but he did not condemn the foolish act. The boy was the only son of his poor parents.
So, before fighting over which actor is greater and doing outlandish, extravagant stuff to show your adoration towards a movie star, STOP AND THINK. Are Vijay or Ajith paying your bills?
Below is a video of actor Sivakatikeyan talking about his adulation of Rajini:
He is saying that he had achieved the greatest height of his life after meeting Rajini. It is like Rajini's daughters saying they have accomplished the goal of their lives by being Rajini's daughters.
Now, technology, particularly Facebook is used to declare idolization and odium for heroes like Vijay, Ajith, Surya and the likes of them. Online wars are waged, over which hero is mass and which hero is piss. For example comments and counters like these are put forth:
"Singam 2 is major flop. Surya fans, hold a funeral for that eunuch!"
"Vijay movies grind the same plot over and over again and his acting sucks!"
Apart from engaging in verbal duel, derision is raised by photo shopping the stills of those actors they don't fancy.
While fans argue online, the actors are at work in shooting spots around the world, raking millions in minutes, living in mansions and dine fine. The fans live on pittance meanwhile. The most a fan can get from his favourite hero is an autograph. That is it. The fan can frame it and hang it in his hut. That is all he can do with the autograph; it won't put food on his table or fetch him a decent house.
This dude is calling all Vijay's fans (Thalapathi is a sobriquet accorded to Vijay) to take on the challenge of making Vijay's latest movie a hit. If he takes on a challenge to excel in education or career that will take him forward. This is beyond tragic to say the least.
We don't see Americans saying they'll make Harrison Ford the president of the United States when he acted as the president of America in Air Force One. But, there is a mob out who after watching Thalaiva (which means leader in Tamil), starring Vijay as the protagonist, vying to make him the next PM of India. There is a Facebook page to support this quest. These lots seem oblivious of the fact that Vijay's every move, dialogue and deed in the movie is directed by a film director along with numerous technicians to make the movie. The distinguish between fantasy and fact gets grossly blurred here.
A die hard fan of Vijay committed suicide because he didn't get to see the movie Thalaiva on the first day and first show and Vijay expressed his condolences but he did not condemn the foolish act. The boy was the only son of his poor parents.
So, before fighting over which actor is greater and doing outlandish, extravagant stuff to show your adoration towards a movie star, STOP AND THINK. Are Vijay or Ajith paying your bills?
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