Pawan Kalyan vs Jr NTR: Why fans are killing each other over movie stars

Glorification of one’s favourite actor both on and off screen isn’t a mystery, especially in the Indian context. We have a history dating back to the ages. The latest horrific incident of a fan brutally killing another over an argument does resonate how volatile fandom is.

On Sunday (August 21), Vinod Kumar (24), a Pawan Kalyan fan was stabbed to death by Akshay, a Junior NTR fan after an altercation broke between the two over who’s the bigger star. However, this is not the first instance when a diehard fan of Pawan Kalyan succumbed to the actor’s stardom. When Pawan Kalyan’s Saddar Gabbar Singh, released last year, Rakesh, an ardent Kalyan fan was stabbed by another fan, Ravi, after a quarrel broke between the two.

Though Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan (2016), was a mere surreal revenge saga, the film is a testimony to how dangerous a fan can become.

Also read: My fan moment after watching SRK's Fan

If one ponders over the reason behind idolising a celebrity, it is but inevitable to rant about his/her intellect. Take a liking to is instant. But becoming an admirer is not an instant reaction. When one gets multiple exposures of liking something, it’s only natural to be more obsessive. And that obsession later turns into an addiction. And at some point, he somehow starts to idolise his star with his futile actions as collateral damage. This could’ve happened in Pawan-NTR case too.

While the hysteria is comparatively low in north India, it only gets worse in the south. In the south, we’ve a plethora of fan clubs dedicated to some of the big names in the industry.

Also read: Jiah Khan's suicide - How acting is risky business in this era

These fan clubs are the driving forces responsible for their star’s success at the box office. Recently, the world witnessed fan frenzy when Rajinikanth’s Kabali hit the screens on July 22. Right from the 4am shows to the film’s 100 days run in the theatres, these fan clubs serve as a catalyst to an actor’s market value. And this was much worse in the late 80s.

I remember my father saying how fanatical it would be back in those days when a film of today’s superstars Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan had their releases. If Kamal Haasan got a cut-out about 30-feet-high for his Thevar Magan, then Rajini fans would raise it to 50 feet for Thalaivar’s Baasha leading to a domino effect.

In fact, an upcoming Tamil film, Enkitta Mothathe, has a similar story that talks about the conflicts between Rajini-Kamal fans.

Though fan rivalry is more verbal now, social media also plays its part. Unlike the past, the battle on social media is between minds, and not fists. Despite being professional rivals, incidents like this are likely to leave both Pawan Kalyan and Jr NTR in a state of apprehension. And it is difficult for the actors to cope up with the adulation among fans.

Also, admiration depends on to the degree at which you like something. Most of the fans in south India don’t know where to draw the line. When they go overboard, incidents such as this are bound to happen in future.

However, considering the fact that Vinod Kumar was a member of Pawan Kalyan’s political party Jana Sena, it is unclear if politics too played its part.