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One of the main purposes of cinema is to entertain. It is a medium where the filmmaker, and through him the audience can give expression to imagination and fantasy. The masses flock to the theatres, to enjoy themselves, and to relieve their tensions. Also, there is a great amount of awe and wonder attached to the demigods and goddesses, of the silver screen, who are for all practical purposes, unattainable to the hoi polloi.

In a country like India, films are a way of life, and many of the actors and actresses are no less than deities. There is a certain amount of secrecy, charisma, and even sanctity attached to the stars. But it looks like all that is slowly changing, probably for the worse. In the sixties, seventies and even upto the eighties, film stars were rarely seen by the public anywhere, except on the screen in the theatres, and in film magazines. Once in a while, the common man used to get a glimpse of his favourite actor or actress at some awards function, or at the airport. To have seen an actor in flesh and blood was akin to have had a 'darshan' of God himself. You could brag about it to your near and dear ones for days to come, and every one around you would be envious of you. But today, with many of the stars freely taking to multiple product endorsements, they are constantly in the public eye.

Apart from been seen on television, whether in advertisements, film promotional campaigns or talk shows, many singers and actors are also frequently seen at public places, restaurants, malls and multiplexes. Most of the films released today have a lot of pre and post release publicity, which are advertised in almost all the newspapers and on television. The masses flock to these sites, to catch a quick glimpse of the stars. The launch of a new store, product or even a newspaper for that matter, is done with much fanfare, with a couple of stars performing live. It's no longer difficult for anyone, to see their favourite actors and actress in real life, thanks to these campaigns.

What all this has perhaps done is to take away the aura, the sheen, the mysticism and the charm that is associated with actors. Today, the public considers the stars to also be human, and stars have lost their so-called 'sanctity'. One just has to switch on the television, and one can get to see almost any actor or actress performing. Most of the awards functions too are telecast live and people now have their own window at home, which opens out into Bollywood. All this overdose and surfeit of film related programmes and promotions have definitely taken the edge out of films. Today, the only thing separating the viewer and Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, or Aishwarya Rai, or a John Abraham, is just the flip of a remote button. Why then would most cinegoers take the time and trouble to go to a theatre, to see the same thing? As of now, there are very few actors who avoid the limelight, notable among them being Anil Kapoor and Ajay Devgan who too seems to have succumbed to the ad world, of late. Most of the others have jumped the bandwagon. Agreed that it makes good economic sense for these actors and the manufacturers of consumer goods, to cash in on their public appeal and image, but in the long run, knowingly or unknowingly, they are in some way or other, contributing to the slow demise of the industry, and are responsible for the increasing number of 'flop' films that are being released every week.

Another major contributing factor to the loss of star value is also the fact that many mainstream actors, like Karishma Kapoor, Hema Malini, Raveena Tandon, Alok Nath, Sanjay Kapoor, Ayub Khan, Simone Singh etc, have taken to television in a big way, acting in serials which have many episodes. Many stars today anchor some of the biggest shows, notable among them being KBC, Big Boss, Kam Ya Zyaada etc. So, week after week, you can see them and their acting skills being displayed, sitting in the comfort of your home. Economics aside, a little more subtlety and choosiness in the future will ensure that the thirst and hunger of the masses to see their stars is re-kindled, and they start thronging the cinema halls again. The house full boards, which were common in the seventies and eighties, have become a thing of the past. Maybe it's time to bring them back. It is up to each individual actor or actress, to think of the industry and its future prospects, before 'exposing' themselves too much to the common man
Dr. P V Vaidyanathan's blog can be accessed at http://pvvaidyanathan.blogspot.com/

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