Tarunima's tweets were polite in nature so any responses needed to be polite. If it was not, I completely understand the rush to the defence of Tarunima by a colleague.
Having said that, Tarunima's tweets also had a ring of talking down to fans or should i say a bit sanctimonious in nature (its subtle but it can be sensed when you tell a fandom...give it up in not so many words and talking of bitter sweet memories as if they were made by the fans.The story was the PH's creation so any accountability for the fate had to be taken by the PH and PH alone. By telling the fans that the journey had to end was in my view silly, ofc we all know it will end..we had signed up to watch a finite series remember? So it is not the fault of the fans if the journey could not be completed in the way it was envisaged by you. Yet, the fans fought for the PH against the Channel despite not being privy to any aspects of the decision making. Why did they do it? Becos that is what involved fans do...they are fools that rush in where angels fear to tread. It can be also argued that fans would never have moved this far if the PH had said at the very beginning that the decision is irreversible for whatever reasons you wished to share or not. This is not the first time a show on Sony or any channel has been shut without preamble. Anyways, shutting a show is the prerogative of a channel and/or PH and fans will take a lesson out of this experience. Having signed up to watch a finite series and being "rewarded" with a hurried end that will perhaps not do complete justice to the Shraman story that we have lived with these past 7 odd months. Fandom will learn its lessons for sure. We are anyway learning new meanings of the words "finite series" in the context of Hindi soapdom. Ofc this is not the end of the world...we know that even if fans react as if it is. In hindsight, fans will find other aspects to occupy their leisure but at the moment of the hurt, however inexplicable or silly it seems, it makes no sense to tell a fan...Give it up...it was not meant to be. Yes we know it but we would rather it not come from you, especially you, the PH which was the custodian of the story that u set to tell. Is it the fault of the fan that you goofed it up? We don't know what issues you had with the channel becos it was never known when this "finite" series woud end. Was it dependent on your ability or the channel's mercy? Sorry as fans, we were never clued into these things. we also don't if was it the job of the creative head to manage communication with the stakeholders...sorry we forgot...we are not the stakeholders right? What exactly are fans? especially fans that apparently are not responsible for the jingling of your cash registers. Those fans you all thanked for the effort of #DONOTENDEDKV...i wonder why?
I guess its Namik's first taste of a fanatical fandom...😉 I suppose Namik will learn that the reaction of fans cannot be calibrated...it is not a tap u can turn on and off at will.
Now I am going to quote from one of my very old posts during the IPK fiasco...it was in response to a member's post and I had responded to it. I found it topical so I am quoting it.
Quote
i would say the thing about fandom is their unpredictability...it is not an association that comes on tap...and they come in all shapes and sizes. Everyone who has anything to do with a fan should surely realise this...
Most 'fans' just exercise the choice that they always have; "dekhna hain tohdekha" never were truer words spoken...LOL...many would fall in this category...irrespective of whatever DKD discussions they may have from time to time.
But then there is also a belligerent passionate lot of fandom, who would go all out to express their love and disappointment with equal fervor, many a timesstanding by the ones they idolize during their good and bad times. Perhaps many of them would take it as their right to demand the pound of flesh..."jaisemera pyar waisa gussa hain mera" kinds.
It is not just about actors but the mediums like the channel and PH would do well to remember what distinguishes an involved fan from a disinterested viewer. A disinterested viewer would exercise the freedom of choice at the first sign of disinterest in the offering (and there are several viable alternatives) while an involved fan would still give a long rope.
Yes, they can be difficult with their demands at times, but without them, there is also only so much an idea can progress...its fandom that takes it to a different level of involvement. And the funny part is many of them are usually happy with some simple assurances and some straight talking...
For an analogy, cricket is a religion in India becos of the countless fans that come in droves and support the national team; yes they have unrealistic expectations of the team but without them the coffers of the establishment and the players would also not be what it is now...and anyone associated with the game understands that, in fact, they work to capitalize on it...not run it down..."
UNQUOTE
I wrote this even when i was not personally involved in IPK battle for shutting the show or whatever it is that the fans demanded..I wrote this almost 3 and half years ago but all these words stay true to this day. The diff between a disinterested fan and an involved fan...still exists...if we are ready to lap up the bouquets...some brickbats must also be welcomed.
Edited by sanfan - 9 years ago
