'Kaala' release: Crass crowds cause inconvenience

Early Thursday morning, the day of the much-anticipated release of Rajinikanth starrer Kaala, saw the usual throng of Thalaiva loyalists once again indulging in frenzied celebration inside and outside theatres.

Women remained absent from the scene, as fans celebrated their idol by bursting firecrackers at the crack of dawn, emptying cans of milk over much larger-than-life posters and cut outs of Rajinikanth and dancing to their hearts’ content. 

These celebrations led by mostly-drunk young men, the push and shove for tickets, whistling and hooting make it impossible for women and families to go watch their superstar on screen on the first day.  

“I refrain from going for superstar films on the first day. It is just not worth the money as I cannot watch the movie in peace and have to be extremely careful about the drunk, excited men around,” said Srilakshmi Santhosh, a movie-buff and college student.     

Standalone theatres that sell tickets in bulk to fan-clubs attract legions of fans who turn up to celebrate the very first show, competing with fan-clubs in other areas as to who idolized their star better. 

Multiplexes offer a relatively better environment as they earn more money through online sale of tickets, and hence, withhold from selling them to fan-clubs. But it is still not the most comfortable movie-watching experience as crowds are usually rough and difficult to control. 

“I had a bad experience when I went for a first show with my family. Two men who sat right behind us were drunk and one of them kept kicking my mother’s seat,” said Sunayana Biswas, a journalist.

The general public which consists of people who are not ardent fans are often forgotten in the frenzy. They are expected to silently make space for the furore even when it is a hindrance to their daily lives. 

“It is highly inconvenient when you cannot sleep after 3 am because of the celebrations, and you have work the next day,” said Navjyot Singh Jandu, who lives near Jyothi Theatre, a standalone theatre situated in a residential area in St. Thomas Mount, Chennai.