The fan frenzy around Sankranti films has come to an end. It's a happy moment for all the heroes involved but thefans need to introspect what change this has brought to their lives.
Telugu film fandom, once a source of joy, has quietly turned into a full-time job. There is no salary, no holidays and no promotions, yet the voluntary workload is intense.
Big flexi banners, evening first shows and night-long wars on social media define the daily routine of an average fan.
The flexi banners outside theatres tell a deeper and sadder story. Ask who paid for them and the answer is rarely a wealthy producer.
It is the auto driver, the daily wage worker, the cook, the porter, or a young man who took out from his parents’ savings.
Most of them lack financial stability, but when it comes to their hero’s film, they show unmatched courage. There is no concept of future planning. There is only first day, first show of their hero's film. Ticket prices rise and it is accepted.
Snack prices soar and it is accepted. When there is no money in the pocket, borrowing becomes the solution. In return, all they receive is a single generalized “Thank you fans” tweet from hero.
Then there is another category, the social media intellectuals. They are educated and articulate, but their knowledge seems useful only for trolling rival heroes.
Reading their posts, one might feel the nation’s future depends on fan wars. They spend nights digging up data to prove their hero’s greatness and rewriting history to insult others.
Meanwhile, the heroes live comfortably. Hit films bring foreign trips, new cars, properties and elite education for their children. Their families flourish.
The fans, however, trade abuses, burn with hatred and lose mental peace. To make matters worse, Telugu cinema fandom has merged with caste obsession from decades and it's not reforming.
Cinema is no longer entertainment but identity. The hero is no longer just an actor but a caste symbol. How sad!
One truth is rarely spoken. When a hero’s film becomes a hit, the hero’s life changes. The fan’s life remains the same. A movie lasts two and a half hours. Fandom lasts for years. A film becoming a hit is good, but our lives do not need to be flops.
The present truth is that heroes keep becoming richer while fans remain poor. If fans, especially the youth who are the true power of the nation, understand this reality, their lives can change for the better.
Usha Chowdhary