After watching Jr NTR’s speech at the War 2 promotional event in Hyderabad last night, many felt he might be closely following social media discussions and fan wars. It is not unusual for stars to track social media. In fact, several actors and celebrities use dummy profiles to keep an eye on what is being said about them. With smartphones in hand, it is almost impossible to ignore what fans or detractors are posting.
The reason it seemed like NTR is actively tracking social media is because parts of his speech sounded like direct replies to online trolling. His clarification about the song in which he dances with Hrithik Roshan felt like a response to the ongoing fan war between Ram Charan’s fans and NTR’s fans over who danced better in Naatu Naatu, an argument still active online. Similarly, while talking about War 2 while raising his collar, he said, “Don’t believe anything people are talking,” which again appeared aimed at the negativity surrounding the film. Even in his last speech, he did the same by clarifying about the Devara sequel.
Lately, NTR’s speeches seem to carry a tone of frustration, perhaps influenced by what he sees online. While there is nothing wrong with being aware of social media chatter, a star of his stature should ideally not let it influence him or address it openly. Fan wars and trolling have become a mob-driven space with little credibility, and no one, not even NTR, can fully stop or correct it.
