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So, what do the Bollywood stars actually
do for their fans?
One ought to take a long pause before speaking anything on this subject.
And most likely that your thought process will tarry at the reminder
of the recent drama over the Narmada-Bachao-Aandolan, thanks to the
intervention of Aamir Khan.
But, wasn't it something that he did because he felt strongly for
the cause and not for his fans?
Actors and actresses often take up a lot of social causes, which are
often perceived as something they do for their fans. From Amitabh
Bachchan promoting a Polio campaign, to Hollywood star and social
activist Richard Gere heading the AIDS campaign from Shah Rukh Khan
and Preity Zinta sweeping debris off the streets to American actress
Angelina Jolie helping to bring awareness about refugees as the UN
refugee agency's Goodwill Ambassador; are some of the things actors
have done outside the filmdom by virtue of their social commitment.
Of late, the dotcom bug has hit the film fraternity and all actors
have either launched or are in the process of launching their official
websites. They propagate the idea that hosting a personal web portal
will facilitate direct communication (read worship) with the fans.
Though it is quite impractical to reply personally to all the fans
given the fact that actors receive around 100 to 1,000 emails per
day, depending upon the popularity quotient. Aishwarya Rai, for instance,
receives around 5,000 emails per day and over 10,000 on special occasions.
In order to help people, certain actors provide solace to distressed
hearts by answering to their queries in Agony Aunt columns. Others,
like Raveena Tandon give tips on dressing up. Certain television shows
on music channels or other alike offer personal items of stars that
are especially given out by the actors to be passed on to their fans.
Remember the autographed coffee mugs used to lure fans to write back
and win the same on Coffee With Karan?
In a country like ours where actors are worshiped like deities, where
people die in freak mishap while offering condolences to their favourite
stars, where government declares mourning days in the memory of the
lost actors one can fairly imagine how fans would want to emulate
their so-called 'Star Gods.'
And that's why for stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Nicole Kidman smoking
on screen becomes unpardonable. In India, an immense hue and cry was
raised for banning actors from smoking on screen; Shah Rukh Khan succumbed
to the pressure and decided to give up smoking. Though this move came
after the Censor Board raised a stickler for certification yet, his
fans certainly benefited from his gesture.
Social issues aside, what stars actually do for their fans can
be summed up in a couple of 'thank you speeches' or scribbles (read
autographs) on writing pads, books and when they are really lucky,
on their hands or clothes.
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