Untold world of devoted fans: How their obsession powers the cinema industry

Across India, fans express their admiration in unique ways, but no one celebrates quite like the Telugu and Tamil film industries.

Hyderabad: Cinema owes its life and success to fans. Their passion, dedication, and celebrations are what keep the industry alive. Across India, fans express their admiration in unique ways, but no one celebrates quite like the Telugu and Tamil film industries.

From fan pages and tattoos of their favorite stars to naming their children after them, fans take their devotion seriously.

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During movie releases, their excitement knows no bounds. First-day, first-show tickets are a must. Fans spend thousands of rupees on huge cutouts, some even as large as buildings, and decorate them with massive garlands called gaja malas.

Rituals like pouring milk on cutouts (pala abhishekam), bursting crackers, and organising fan shows are common sights. Some even visit temples to pray for a film’s success, while others have gone so far as to build temples for their favorite stars.

“If I don’t watch my favorite actor’s film at the first morning show, I can’t sleep peacefully,” says Ajay Rahul, a die-hard fan.

Fans often make sacrifices to support their stars. “I save money from my pocket money for cutouts and crackers. I even tear up old books to throw papers during the screenings,” shares Dheeraj Reddy.

The craze extends to social media as well. “I run a fan page dedicated to my favorite actor. Editing pictures and videos is my way of showing love because I can’t spend much money. The best part is my idol follows me back and even recognises me when we meet. It’s the biggest achievement of my life,” says Siva, a fan page admin.

However, fan devotion isn’t always positive. Rivalries between fan groups sometimes lead to hate campaigns, criticism and personal attacks. Fans also get emotionally involved in their idol’s personal lives, feeling hurt by their struggles or choices.

“Except for life-changing exams, nothing is more important than watching my favorite actor’s movies,” says Aarav Reddy, a college student.

“I keep counting the days for a month before the movie release just to see my favorite actor on the big screen,” says Saanvi, a tech professional.

While fans are a vital part of an actor’s journey, their behavior can sometimes cross boundaries. Some invade actors’ privacy or demand constant attention, forgetting that stars are human too.

It’s important for fans to respect boundaries, as actors need their personal space too. But despite occasional issues, fans remain the backbone of cinema. Without them, there are no stars and without stars, there is no cinema.