SABARI GANESH

Super star Mahesh Babu, Power star Pawan Kalyan, Ilayathalapathy Vijay, Thala Ajith and everlasting Thalaivar Rajinikanth. These are WTF heroes of South Indian Cinema. By the way, WTF means Whistle Thronging Fans and not what our dirty minds would go on to think. It was a sarcastic term coined by Baradwaj Rangan.

These stars and their stupendous success of their movies are the embodiment of love and adulation these fans show towards them. The phenomenon of wide and wild celebrations that accompany the release of their films is unique in South India.

We see them whistling and shouting at the sight of their demigod when he walks in slow motion supported by thumping BGM. That celebration, that feeling in the heart, that rattling happiness and joy they experience is terrific.

Inside the theater and at the screen, their extreme celebrations will have pieces of paper flowing in the air and shirts being stripped off and thrown into the air. And in some fabulous cases, people will be thrown into the air..

Why? Why this obsession and celebration?

Unfortunately, there is no specific answer to this rather tricky question. Because, Indians are mad. They adore and adulate film stars. We can see the same whistling and shouting in western music and stage shows, but what is seen in Indian movie theaters is a kind of an unequivocal worship. This adoration went to the extent of posting them into the chairs of chief minister (NTR and MGR).
I want to make one point here about how foolish Indians react to the actions done by their gods. Why did Salman Khan gain sympathy when he was found gulity in hit and run case? Why do few fans of Pawan Kalyan go mayhem on social networks when he addresses on political stages.

Anyhow, what ever it may be,I am writing this piece in a bus watching Mahesh Babu in Athadu while on my way to Madanapalle and I confess that I too belong to this weird human species i.e, WTF of South Indian cinema.

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Feature image by Runner1616 and CC BY SA 3.0