How Social Media Transforms Celebrities From Icons To Everyday Figures

Stardom is not what it once was, something one often hears from the stars as well as industry insiders. In times of social media and hyper-competitive marketing gimmicks, your favourite idol is literally in the palm of your hand

Fans have access to the carefully curated lives of their stars thanks to the many Instagram posts which give us an insight into their daily life, from the gym to what they are eating as well as their personal and private lives which were earlier out of bounds.

The one time dream merchants and their elusive status of being unreachable far gone, has also had its downside, after all, familiarity does breed contempt in any relationship.

In the last few days, one has seen several cases of rage from celebrities when they have not only lashed out but physically attacked their fans. Singer Aditya Narain at a concert hit a fan with the mike and threw his phone.

What sparked this outrage remains unclear, since the singer would not confess, but what has come to light is that the person concerned was bothering him with the selfies.

'Big Boss OTT' winner Elvish Yadav courted controversy yet again after he slapped a man at a restaurant in Jaipur, it was said he was provoked by the guest who was abusing his mother.

"Fans and the public at large often cross the line, they feel they can get away with anything. It comes from a place of entitlement and a mindset set that is " you are because of us".

Then there are those who thrive on getting a reaction from a celebrity by provoking them, making rude comments, filming them and thrusting their phone and themselves and the attitude being "they dare not say anything to us if they do then watch how we cancel you out", says a publicist

Usually, it is the security and management teams which handle situations like these but instances of celebrities losing their cool and reacting are no longer few and far between. "The patience is bound to wear thin, they are human too. Though they are supposed to act nonchalant and be accepting of everything that comes their way, the price of fame as some put it. But as strangers who in the name of being fans cross the line of decency, and get obnoxious, a reaction is bound to emerge from some,' says a star manager, not willing to be named.

Actor Salman Khan chastised a fan during the promotion of 'Antrim' when the person kept bothering him for a picture by "saying stop dancing in my face". Actress Priyanka Chopra revealed how once during the promotions of 'Jai Gangajal' she could have slapped her person in the crowd who had held on to her arms.

John Abraham who was once in shock had slapped a fan when she bit his hand and even the usually reticent Ranveer Singh who enjoys crowds had once lost his cool when they swarmed around him.

"You know they forget we are human, they feel they have the right to say anything, write anything and demand anything of us. I could well be having a bad day, and to expect us to be performing 24/7 is a tad unfair, we are judged for everything and then they get abusive with us and our families, do you think that's fair ", is a point of view expressed by celebrities across the board.

Shahrukh Khan who often calls himself the humble servant of the brand called Shahrukh Khan and is more than willing to indulge in fandoms was mobbed at the airport by a few people hurling themselves at him. Though visibly irritated, he had brushed the person with a glare and walked out.

"It could have been a serious breach of security says the same publicist, how is one to know that the person is not armed, safety comes first."

In a world dominated by fans, and stans, para-social relationships often turn sour, when emotional needs are not met. What starts as admiration often transcends into something obsessive "It is a one-sided connection anyways, they are not aware of your existence but in your head you have formed something akin to a love relationship, where you feel you own this person. You think it is fine to cross the line, and get aggressive with others and if your emotional needs are not met or you are shown a side that does not fit in with your idea of perfection, it gets problematic, say behavioural specialists.

But all fandoms are not toxic as one has seen several instances of dedicated fans showcasing their support for their favourite star and well aware there remains a boundary between them and their celebrity.

"Boundaries in any relationship are important, and behaviour. Your friends or family will not tolerate abuse or misbehaviour, but do you think it's okay for a celebrity? Asks a celebrity manager.

Maybe it is time to reassess the tag of perfection and idealism one burdens the celebrity with, who at the end of the day are just as human as the fans and anti-fans.