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01/12/2012

The Gods of Indian cinema

I never understood fans. Human beings worshipping other human beings.

For singing, writing, painting. Doing things than anyone can do, with more or less talent.India,cinema,Bollywood,Kollywood,Amitabh Bachchan,Shahrukh Khan,Rajnikanth,top movies,worshipping,temples

I always felt that fans must, somehow, fill a void with the unconditional love for a star.

But enough of philosophical considerations. Everyone does what they want…

 

If you follow Bollywood cinema, you have heard of Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan.

But does the name Rajnikanth ring a bell? He is a South-Indian superstar (originally born in Karnatak from a poor Maharashtrian family, he mainly stars in Tamil movies – Kollywood).

Comparing the popularity of actors by the number of fans is impossible but let’s look at collections.

The top Bollywood movie, 3 Idiots (2009) brought Rs 201 crores (€28 millions) whereas Endhiran (starring Rajnikanth, and dubbed in Telugu and Hindi) brought 400 crores (€56 millions).

Besides, in 2006, Rajnikanth was quoted as the most paid actor with earnings of Rs 15-20 crores (€2.8 millions); in 2009 he was paid more than Rs 40 crores (€5.6 millions) per movie. Well above Bollywood stars.

 

India,cinema,Bollywood,Kollywood,Amitabh Bachchan,Shahrukh Khan,Rajnikanth,top movies,worshipping,templesSo obviously Rajnikanth has a huge number of fans. And here is what they do to worship him:

§          Build temple dedicated to him,

§          Tonsure their heads and fasting when he is sick,

§          Give a free gift of gold ring for every child born on the date of  the release date of a Rajinikanth’s movie,

§          Publicly ritualizing his film posters and appropriating Hindu rituals to divinize their star deity: to celebrate the release of a film they take poster of the movie to the temple and to a theatre where it is bathed in about 100 to 200 litres of milk carried, on their heads, by the fans.

 

And you, what do you do to worship Brad Pitt huh??

 

Sources:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-most-powerful-indians-in-2009-96100/433194/

http://www.indicine.com/movies/bollywood/top-5-biggest-grossers-of-bollywood/

http://cinema.currentweek.net/2011/01/kollywood-movies-top-10-blockbusters.html

http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/rajinikanth-fans-tonsure-heads-in-tn-temple_93509.htm

http://www.ihc.ucsb.edu/rajinikanth-fans/

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhsqpe_robot-special-5000-rajnikanth-fans-give-rajnikanth-a-milk-bath_fun

http://www.tamilnow.com/articles/tamil-film-stars-fans-club.htm