Locals and fans gathered as actor Darshan, accused in a murder case, was brought to the crime scene for interrogation in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Photo Credit: PTI
Shyam Gaja, an ardent fan of Kannada actor Darshan, says, “We have seen Darshan both on-screen and off-screen. He is like an open book. If he had made a mistake, he would have surrendered… We will never stop supporting him in such difficult times.” “He is like a family member to us, almost like a God.”
These sentiments are characteristic of Darshan’s die-hard fans who love their ‘Challenging Star’ and ‘D Boss’, even as Darshan faces a serious allegation of murdering one of his own fans. The victim Renukaswamy, who was allegedly beaten to death by Darshan and his associates, was also one of his die-hard fans. He was reportedly worried that co-accused in the case Pavithra Gowda might create “trouble” in Darshan’s marital life, which led him to harass her on social media. Raghavendra, accused of abducting Renukaswamy from Chitradurga, was heading the actor’s fans’ association in the district.
Darshan has perhaps the largest fan base in the Kannada film industry. His fans have consistently supported him during his many controversies over the years. Like Mr Gaja, most of them believe that Darshan is “innocent” and some of them have rushed to Bengaluru from various parts of the state to express solidarity with him. On social media, from concocting conspiracy theories to calling the murder “a petty crime”, fans have done everything possible to defend him.
What inspires this kind of unquestioning loyalty to a star?
Experts say celebrity craze arises because people choose media to satisfy their needs. “They use media relationships to relieve boredom, combat loneliness or give focus and direction to their lives. They seek romance, understanding, inspiration, communication and identity and satisfy these needs through mediated relationships. Being a fan plays a role in identity formation for adolescents,” said Manoj Kumar Sharma, professor, department of clinical psychology, who also heads the SHUT clinic at NIMHANS.
He emphasised the need for digital literacy among fans as well as celebrities/influencers so that they know how to deal with unpleasant situations that arise on social media. “If a person feels that these relationships (with celebrities) are affecting their lifestyle and have almost become an obsession, they should take a break from social media and keep themselves busy with other activities. Developing offline interaction habits will also help in developing social capital,” he said.
