Star Dust rubs off

With a lot of promotional events pitching in stars and then they coming down for the promotion of their own projects the craze and delight in having seen them in person is no more feel many. “They tend to magnetise you only if their presence is announced in a mall or a theatre,although the charm is absent now since they are everywhere and seen quite often. I spotted Rahul Roy recently in a coffee shop and in spite of being crowded no one bothered to admit his presence. I have also banged into Kim Sharma,Aryan Vaid and Nauheed Cyrusi in restaurants and stores in the city,” says Pratiksha Manan,a content writer.

From inaugurations to announcements and even corporate events,many have celebrities being a part of the events in order to popularise the concepts and affairs. Although their attendance is advertised a deliberate effort to go and get a glimpse is becoming obsolete. “The mall and multiplex culture has proliferated the idea of promoting films by inviting the star cast. While coordinating for Inox at one time I had one star on an average visiting the place per month and their frequent visits is a valid reason for the decreasing craze. Secondly the proximity to Mumbai leads to many having their homes and friends here. Also as far as being spotted in hotels and stores goes people here have matured to let them be alone and enjoy their privacy,which is in fact a good thing. However the craze for cricketers still remains unparalleled,” adds Tushar Joshi of Hundred Percent PR.

The persona of the stars,however,will continue to persist as Jehan Sataravala,CEO,Jaws events,puts it,“There is a considerable difference between a star and actors or models for that matter. If Aamir Khan comes even thrice in a month he is bound to be mobbed. I remember when we brought Salman Khan here for an event there were atleast 7000 people on the road to catch a glimpse of the actor and escorting him was a difficult task. Their screen presence is directly proportional to the crowd they pull live and these days models for instance hardly have any with advertisements while they are being hijacked by actors along with their popularity.”