All that glitters: In the age of social media proximity, the inevitable slow death of stardom era- Firstpost
“Stardom’s spotlight is a fickle jade,” writes Michael Williams in his book Film Stardom, Myth And Classicism: The Rise Of Hollywood’s Gods. It basically translates to the fact that stardom is a fickle chore, and I say chore because, while gaining fame is a tough task, maintaining that fame is even tougher. Hollywood, as well as the Indian Film Industry, have both seen their fair share of magnanimous stars, their rise to stardom, some’s fall to irrelevance, and others’ immortalisation in the annals of cinema and beyond. However, decades later, definitions of stardom are changing, it’s becoming more transient, and the era of hero-worshipping and larger-than-life auras seem to be coming to an end, whether for good or for the worse, is fate that time shall tell.
Recently, in an interview with Anupama Chopra on Film Companion, when asked how has stardom changed, Karan Johar promptly replied, Where is it? there’s no stardom, there is popularity, and there’s a big difference between the two. The magnetism, the mystery, the mystique, the aura, I don’t think this generation has it. They are wonderful artists, but where is that magic that I grew up witnessing? When Mr Bachchan walked in, Mr Dilip Kumar walked, Mr Shahrukh Khan walked in, it was like heads turning, everyone can literally feel the presence of that power, glory, and stardom. it’s not there today, and that is the simple truth.’
In the rise of social media dominance, accessibility has become the greatest boon and curse. The distance between fans and their favourite artist is reduced vastly. There is no magical, otherworldly tenor to the actors who are being loved today, and that is desirable in the eyes of the mass today. Authenticity has replaced stardom, so to say. Fans don’t want to be enamoured, they want to relate, they don’t want to see perfection, they want to see reality, because in a world where boycott culture, wokeism, and cancel culture is paraded as justice and activism, perfection is a feat more impossible than evading death.
Actors are artists first, and brands later. They don’t have the charm, the allure, and the intangible presence to move people and the world as they wish. People are keen on calling out someone, rather than admiring them. It is no surprise that stardom is seeing extinction because for a phenomenon like it that is a two-way street between artists and their fans, stardom will find itself blocked on both ends. The demand and supply that happens between stars and fans, is now malfunctioning because actors don’t have what it takes to supply stardom, and people aren’t demanding it.
When every word, every glance, every meaning behind the meaning is scrutinised keenly and met with a barrage of polarised opinions, it is difficult to find someone so flawless that you can hang on to their every word, and love them regardless. It’s also vital to understand, that most of these people seeking authenticity and veracity from artists, will at one point call out and be offended by the same reality, that was once upon a time In simple words, stardom was uncomplicated, you mesmerise, you get into their hearts, and then try to stay there forever. In contrast, whatever it is that happens today is a web that you can’t escape.
There is nothing easier than to falter in being a politically correct, authentic, woke yet charming and enchanting celebrity today. It’s a dangerous walk on a tightrope that will make you fall today or tomorrow, because that is the world we live in today.
Of course, there are always anomalies and exceptions. People who prove every theory, and generalisation known to you, wrong. They don’t fit into boxes, and that is precisely why they are, where they are. Take Tom Cruise, for instance — there’s no denying that he is perhaps Hollywood’s last standing movie star. His latest, is a sequel to his own film which came out in 1986, almost 3 decades before. Between that, and today, Mr Cruise commands the same star power of simply being on-screen, and enchanting all those who come to see him, and nothing but him. His disregard for the natural laws of stardom and movies is visible in his choices to not be a part of any superhero franchise, and yet be perhaps as big as any MCU star, if not bigger. Even as the stardom era ends, Mr Cruise is unbothered, as he goes in an old-fashioned way, making movies after movies that ride on his trustworthy shoulders. It isn’t that he hasn’t seen failure, he has, but if there ever was a prototype on rising from failure like a pro, then Tom Cruise was it.
That said, there hasn’t been a more hackneyed saying than the one I am about to say, and that is that if Hollywood has Tom Cruise, then India has Shahrukh Khan. The King Of Bollywood is arguably the biggest movie star to walk this earth. He has changed the definitions of stardom, in ways unimaginable, and he has himself claimed two very important things. First, that he is without a doubt, the last of the stars, and second, that hero-worshipping is something that needs to end.
Khan, in contrast to Cruise, isn’t the old-fashioned guy, he moves with time, and he has an unsatiated desire to stay relevant. His last ventures,film. While the films got many things wrong, they did get the memo of moving with the time right. Like Cruise, Khan has seen the dark side of fame and stardom, both professionally and personally. The recent trauma that he faced was a stark reminder of all that fame could take away, but he remains unfettered and ever-dignified. Despite courting Zero, Fan, and Jab Harry Met Sejal, despite being failures at the box office were sincere attempts at going beyond the formulaic scandalous controversies, and ginormous failures, Khan has a loyal fanbase that is unflinching in their love. Even a sabbatical, an international media trial, and 3–4 back-to-back disappointments couldn’t deter Khan or his fans. While fame is fickle, love isn’t and Khan is the finest example of stardom done right. Shahrukh Khan
The stardom era is coming to an end, but as far as nostalgia goes, we have the world’s two biggest movie stars who prove that some things don’t change. However, as far as change goes, most of the time it is inevitable and eventually for the better.
Takshi Mehta is a freelance journalist and writer. She firmly believes that we are what we stand up for, and thus you’ll always find her wielding a pen.
Originally published at https://www.firstpost.com on June 21, 2022.
