When one plans for a happy occasion, one would never want the undesirable to happen. For fans in South India, specially audio launch functions of their favourite stars are nothing less than a festival or an important event of family which they can’t think of missing. When fans flock together in thousands in a frenzy, sometimes undesirable things happen. But if such things are resulting in staking the lives of fans, isn’t it hgh time to rethink on the audio functions?
Previously it happened during the audio launch of NTR’s ‘Baadshah’. One of NTR’s fans died in a stampede and many were injured. Similar incident repeated during ‘Gopala Gopala’ audio event. One Pawan fan’s throat was cut over a brawl for entry passes. After this incident it has become essential to think if it is necessary to encourage such audio functions because thousands of fans waste their time and money, coming from far to attend these events.
Shouldn’t the star actors take a call on whether to hold such functions because it’s their fans’ lives at stake. Inevitably there is a growing demand for ban of audio launches as they are turning scary day by day.
On the flip side these days audio event is the only event that could help create pre-release buzz and the movie promotional material will be publicized for free on electronic, print and web media. In that case, limited passes can be issued to fans associations well in advance to make sure that only limited number turn up for the event.
The best recent example is fundraiser event ‘Memu Saitham’ event held to help Hudhud victims. Though many celebs gathered, the event ended well with out any controversy without any fans hungama. Should such model be considered for audio events too as fans can always watch them live? Bollywood is already done with such audio launch events and worked out a different model to release songs online. Audio launch events with huge fan gathering need to be monitored with high management skills, a herculean task.
