A Starry Sunday

Yesterday two “stars” were in Indore. I’m not naming them because I don’t want to give them any more publicity than they already have garnered, as it is, these days it’s pretty easy to guess who one is talking about, as the options are limited to those who have a film releasing in the near future.

Well we, ,my husband and me, were unaware of this fact (habit of not reading the newspaper on Sundays is a bad one and needs to be changed ASAP), and happened to take our daughter for a fun filled Sunday at the same place, my daughter happens to love that particular mall’s play zone. But we were in for a shock. 

The moment we entered the mall we were faced with a sea of people, not knowing the gravity of the situation, we assumed it to be limited to the ground floor only. Thinking the floors on higher levels would be better off we started towards it.

But only the ground to 1^st floor escalators (lifts were closed, and even the escalators were not functioning), were passable. On the next level we realized we were stuck, security people would not let us go down thinking we (a least interested couple holding a scared 5year kid) would mob the stars and the audience would not let us go upstairs thinking we would take away their precious prized positions.

As it is someone later told us, that the mall’s staff was all busy keeping the crowds in control behind the tight ropes, so there was no one available at the play zone. So now going down was the only option left.

Somehow we managed to get a “spot”, actually an envious spot, on the same escalator through which we had come upstairs. The view was great from here, we could see the stage clearly and at the same time, there was no-one pushing or pulling us either. We had more than once requested, demanded and even pleaded the security people to help us leave the mall, but they told us, as the crowds was getting larger the gates had been closed so as to keep new people from arriving.  So finally we accepted the fact that we were destined to give the “stars” a glimpse.

Stuti, my daughter, wanted to know where did so many people come from and why, it’s the biggest pool of people she had ever seen, and when I explained to her about the star crazy public, she innocently asked me “so Mumma, all these people have come from all over India?” and she was shocked when I told her no beta, they all are from Indore only, but then she had to ask me where do these people go on other Sundays? To which I had no answer.

After waiting for more than an hour (an hour for us, more than 2-3 hours for many who had come since a long time to get to see these actors), being told another 10-15 minutes for more than 10 times, the stars finally arrived. Arrived they did! To mikes not working, bouncers hitting and pushing the crowds, and whistles all over the mall. Did I mention the air-conditioning or ventilation was also not doing its job properly!

What happened was complete chaos, not at all properly planned, ridiculously managed and even pathetically executed. Temperatures were rising, tempers were flying and people were getting more and more out of control. To add to all this, 2-3 glass panes, huge glass panes, fell off from escalators on the ground floors. Thank God no injuries were caused.

First of all such events, I feel, should not be planned in enclosed places, and even if they are the authorities should make sure their infrastructure is appropriate not for the crowds anticipated but for the actual numbers. And if you are having such stars come, don’t advertise, as it is, word spreads, by leaking it the media you are inviting the general public, then don’t tell them how to behave.

 

On talking to a few of the security people, I found out they had not anticipated such a turn around. Hello, what do you expect? In a country where actors and cricketers are only second to God, who would miss this opportunity, especially on a Sunday?

I think, even our public is to be blamed. Can someone please explain to me, yes I’m an idiot, what does a guy get when he sees a beautiful actress (only after she’s layered herself with tons of makeup), on a stage, just waving her hands to generally everyone or rather no one, after waiting for more than 2-3 hours and shoving and pushing the crowds, and also fighting with the guards? After being treated like a jerk, he still is happy just seeing him and her on stage?