Stars like us can’t work like us or log onto online jobs for a living, they not only don’t have the confidence to overcome the current crisis, they are extremely insecure about the future. Each star has committed to two to three films and they were just about in good space receiving advances after the first round of pandemic died down. Even OTT platforms have offered them good opportunities. This sudden lockdown has halted their march to recovery financially and even mentally. They never know when the schedules will be rescheduled, when their next payment will arrive and when their films will be released in the theatre. If things go bad and a third mutant assaults us in October, business is not likely to resume till Sankranthi 2022. The multi crore budget films are at risk, the producers and stars never know if they will ever recover that kind of money or will they tell the distributors like Dil Raju, not to reveal the figures? The mid range and small films will manage to sell their stories to OTT platforms.
All those who shied away from OTT projects in the past one year will have no answer, their films cannot be screened in the theatres in the near future and OTT is the only option. While the big stars have enough money to survive for generations, it isn’t the same case for the others. They can’t venture out, can’t speak to friends, and are not used to reading books and developing knowledge. All they do is browse filmi websites and watch films on Netflix and Prime. How long will they exercise and post videos on Youtube? Psychiatrists state that pessimism and negativity is more deadly than the virus. If there isn’t anyone who is willing to counsel them or give them a patient listening, they are close to sinking into a shell or develop some paranoid disorder or get into depression. Only family can and should understand their mood swings and give them enough love and support. Till theatres reopen, the stars will continue to wonder if they are beautiful enough, if people remember them and their films. Money won’t come that easily and in this lockdown they can’t think of anything constructive. The stars should not succumb to mood swings and think of some voluntary help to the covid affected people. Any small help will make them real life heroes.
