New article: Starry selfies

Jaya Bachchan and Varun Dhawan are recent examples of actors snapping at fans clamouring for selfies. We explore what makes actors lose their patience and cool with fans.

Fans always want a piece of their favourite stars. And often cross the line in their eagerness to click a selfie with them. While celebrities usually indulge fans at public events, they often don't appreciate such intrusions at personal outings like a temple visit, or holiday or simply a lunch.

Recently, senior actress Jaya Bachchan lost her cool when a fan wanted a selfie with her when she was out for Ganpati darshan. "Don't do that, stupid! she snapped. The actress is known to discipline those she finds rude or too intrusive. On the other hand, actor Varun Dhawan, who is known to usually be even-tempered, was upset during a promotional event of Judwaa 2, where people asked for individual selfies with him.

What makes actors lose their patience and snap at fans? "It gets very exasperating when you are out for promotions and every single person wants an individual selfie. After a point of time, it gets very tiring. You can't even sit at a coffee shop peacefully at times without someone unabashedly intruding into your space. It's a Catch-22 situation. It's like paying a price for being popular, rues actress Tannishtha Chatterjee, who feels social media is a big reason why things have got worse for celebrities in present times.

Varun Dhawan

"During our parents' times, stars could only be seen on the big screen. I really liked that idea, she adds.

Television actor Mishal Raheja mentions how fans often tend to ignore the human side of celebrities, and the fact that even celebrities can't always be in the mood to treat fans with patient indulgence. "Some people don't even say hello before taking selfies. We're also as human as they are. We get used to shelving our personal feelings and greeting fans with a happy face. But when we request them to not click any more, they should cooperate rather than pushing for more. I get very agitated when guys start tugging at me for selfies, or ask me to dance with them, says Mishal.

However, some stars enjoy the attention of fans and the paparazzi. Actor Rohan Mehra agrees, "I love when fans come to me for autographs and selfies. I think this is what every actor dreams of when he enters this industry. But it's true that sometimes fans cross their limits and ask actors to pose in a certain way which an actor may not like. People must realise that even actors have their personal life and want to spend time with family and friends without any interference, says Rohan.

Actress Shama Sikander says that fandom is something actors earn, and love from fans is something they always cherish and enjoy. "It is the love from fans that makes us who we are. We all crave for this attention. But when they push physically or want a picture in a pose we don't like, it's like asking for too much. We all have our boundaries and fans cannot expect us to not get upset when those boundaries are crossed, she suggests.