CHENNAI: Agnishwar Jayaprakash
Hero worshipping isn’t new to Chennai. It has been there since the advent of cinema. Although I have witnessed mammoth 100 ft cut-outs of stars, tatoos of stars inked on fans’ body, vehicles redesigned to the theme of the film, the most positive way of celebration of a movie release was done by a group of youngsters volunteering at the Agni Foundation. They tied up with us and donated meals to 130 orphanages. This sweet gesture was followed by many fans as their hero started delivering hits after this was done. I secretly wish that more films get released.
Soundariya Anil
Chennai culture is synonymous to cinema. It influences people across sections and plays a vital role in evolving the thought process across various subjects. Cinema in Chennai is a celebration, especially when it’s an A-lister’s movie. The traditional practice of star worship adds to the glitz of a movie release. The energy levels are high and the feel is festive. The recent release of 2.0 with its early morning shows transformed the movie-watching experience. Also, people bursting crackers and dancing to the superstar’s music is an experience in itself.
Harsh Raj
In one incident, a group of three Vijay fans cleared the way for a man with the grace and gentleness of a mother. This man was an Ajith fan and these three men said that they would foot the bill for whatever he wanted. One of the three men addressed the crowd and proclaimed, “This here, is an Ajith fan. He has come to support our Vijay anna’s film. If there were more people like him, the world would be a better place. Today’s movie is dedicated to him.” The audience clapped. “We are all brothers in this lonely world. I am glad to have gained a new family,” the Ajith fan said. It was this display of brotherhood that was so unexpected and fulfilling.
Parthiban Paramesh
While films have the power to reflect society, they also have the leverage to influence society. Such films are often box office hits and masterpieces that have and always will touch the hearts of millions. Unfortunately, not all films are a good influence. Profanity, violence and drugs reek in these films and they implant an image that such heinous activities are considered sporty and are worth respect, when sadly it is the exact opposite. There are instances where fans have caused commotion during movie releases. But, what they don’t understand is that people involved in the making of the movie have already earned their money. Earlier, it was just entertainment. But, now it has become edutainment.
Karthic aka Karthik O Positive
Chennaiites are trend setters when it comes to celebrating movies. They wake up the city on the first day of a movie, release with music and fireworks. Earlier, the FDFS used to be at 11 am, and now it starts at 4 am. From painted cloth banners, wall paintings to mega-size digital banners, the celebration has evolved a lot. People travel from other states and even countries to witness the movie celebrations in Chennai. One of the memorable moments is that we stopped the trend of milk abishekham and donated 1 litre milk each to about 100 poor families when Rajini’s Linga was released in 2014. Linga’s FDFS was screened at 12 am. This happened for the first time in the history of cinema.
Vasanthan
I am that kind of a movie buff who visits theatres even when he’s on his holiday. As far as our FDFS and hero worship culture is concerned, it may not be as crazy as Andhra or absolutely subtle like Kerala but, we do know how to celebrate our heroes. From fans with the hero’s face on their t-shirts to the musical setup — drums, especially the parai that invites the movie goers to dance and celebrate before the first show begins, you can literally taste the air of excitement! In the 2.0 FDFS at Rohini, I even witnessed an old Tamil art form called Silambam with fire. FDFS are the times when the single screen theatres and small-scale multiplexes in the outskirts score.
Parvathy Subramaniam
I am an ardent movie enthusiast. Watching films in theatres has always been special, especially the FDFS of your favourite hero’s film. The cinema culture in the city is thriving and is a sight to behold. From people jumping the gates before the management officially opens the main gate to big cut-outs, from taking selfies with the posters to constantly trying to take a peek at the first and last row to check if the actors have come to watch the film and the ear-piercing screams, are experiences that can ever get old.
Saranya Rajarajan
The most awaited film of the year, 2.0, has finally released after three years of pre-production. And yes, it’s worth the wait. The FDFS was like a celebration all over the world especially in Chennai. Huge cut- outs, crackers, and abishekam for the superstar cut-outs were part of the celebration. The young viewers started enjoying the victory of Thalaiva in the theatre itself. Fans going frenzy during FDFS is common, but Rajini mania is always a league ahead
Anbazhagan Ramakrishnan
Chennai, being the headquarters for Kollywood, feeds the hunger of not just local moviebuffs, but of the movie-lovers across the world throughout the year. Chennaiites prefer the visual experience to beat the
stress, and releases of all big budget movies are celebrated like a festival. Idolising the hero’s image, fan clubs and followers partying during FDFS is common here. Lately, the audiences are turning liberals. They are more content oriented and the worshippers are becoming more critical.
Sarang Thiagu
Watching Sarkar was an unforgettable experience. There was only one door open in the theatre and the crowd barged in. They were screaming throu ghout he disclaimer videos and the minute Vijay’s title came on screen, the entire theatre erupted in a frenzy. One man took raw camphor and ran towards the screen and took dhristhi for the actor’s intro scene. There were a number of people who wore
t-shirts similar to what Vijay wore in the movie. They danced in the theatre and managed to mimic Vijay’s steps, they could only try though.