Cut out culture of movie stars

The movie culture and mania is spread almost all over South India.Though it is not as fiercely followed in Kerala.Just before a movie gets released in theatres,the local fans club collect money from their members and commission a artist to make a wooden cut out of the hero of the film.Sometimes there will be tens of such fan clubs,so that many cut outs will be erected in front of the building,along the compound wall,so many that the entire theatre gets covered.

The big day is on a Friday,the day the movie gets released,fans come to the theatre early in the morning and do pooja/worship to their star or hero.And a new trend has started,the fans pour milk over the cut out(called as abhishekham),hundres of buckets,the milk comes down pouring,and the fans cry out in frenzy,as they see their hero getting drenched.A local band is arranged and the fans keep dancing to the songs of the movie,to be released.Sweets are distributed generously, to the utter amusement of the passers by.The members of the fans association get preference over the general public,in getting tickets.It is considered a honour.There will be hundreds of paper stars strung all over the theatre,making the spectacle colourful.

Ofcourse the fans club compete with one another,in erecting the cut outs,in size and presentation.Once inside,and as the movie starts playing on the screen,the fans do pooja to the screen and once again dance.The whole movie hall goes mad,with people whistling and screaming.Coins of various denominations,along with choclates,are thrown,at the Hero,as he makes an introductory appearance.The owner of the movie hall,will be in some corner,calculating the damage,that is done to the screen by his fans,but he cant do much about it.It is the day of the fans,it is considered a insult or sacrilege,even if a single word is uttered against the Hero.

The cut outs remain all over the theatre,as long as the movie runs,slowly getting faded to.The members of fans club,stand in front of the cut outs,and take photographs and are displayed in their houses,like trophies.Now with the advent of the mobile phones,the fans do a selfie,and the same is forwared to all their friends and relatives.This tamasha will go on till the release of the next movie,with some other star and the same ritual is followed again.

That is why,in South India,the movie stars,are called as demi Gods.