Local people and fans had gathered when actor Darshan, an accused in a murder case, was being brought to the crime scene for investigation in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: PTI
“We have seen Darshan both on-screen and off-screen. He is an open book. If he had committed a mistake, he would have surrendered… We will not stop supporting him at such a difficult time,” says Shyam Gaja, an ardent fan of Kannada actor Darshan. “He is like a family member to us, almost god-like.”
These sentiments typify the die-hard fans of Darshan, who adore their ‘Challenging Star’ and ‘D Boss’, even as he faces the grievous charge of murdering, quite ironically, one of his own fans. The victim, Renukaswamy, who was allegedly beaten to death by Darshan and his associates, was also one of his staunch fans. He was reportedly worried about the “trouble” that Pavithra Gowda, one of the co-accused in the case, could cause in Darshan’s marital life, which led him to harass her on social media. Raghavendra, who is accused of kidnapping Renukaswamy from Chitradurga, was heading the actor’s fans’ association in the district.
Darshan probably has one of the biggest fanbases in the Kannada film industry. His fans have constantly supported him through his many controversies over the years. Like Mr. Gaja, most of them believe that Darshan is “innocent” and a few of them have arrived in Bengaluru from various parts of the State to express solidarity with him. On social media, from spinning conspiracy theories to calling the murder “a small crime”, fans have gone all out to defend him.
What inspires this kind of unquestioning loyalty to a star?
Experts say that celebrity obsession arises due to people choosing media to gratify their needs. “They use media relationships to relieve boredom, fight loneliness, or give focus and direction to their lives. They look for romance, understanding, inspiration, communion, and identity, and meet these needs through mediated relationships. Being a fan plays a part in identity formation for adolescents,” said Manoj Kumar Sharma, professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology, who also heads SHUT Clinic at NIMHANS.
He emphasised the need for digital literacy among fans as well as celebrities/influencers to know how to handle untoward situations that arise on social media. “If a person feels these relationships (with celebrities) are affecting their lifestyle and has almost become a preoccupation, then they should take a break from social media and distract themselves with other activities. Cultivating habits of offline interaction to develop social capital will also help,” he said.