Between Rowdies and Rasikas: Rethinking Fan Activity in Indian Film Culture - Aswin Punathambekar

Summary

This video script delves into fan studies, examining the evolution of fan perception from outsiders to celebrated contributors to culture. It discusses three waves of fan studies, highlighting the shift from viewing fans as different to recognizing their creativity and importance in media marketing. The script focuses on Indian cinema, contrasting fan activities like AR Rahman's dedicated fan club with the emotional devotion of Amitabh Bachan's fans. It underscores the role of music directors in shaping the film industry and explores the global impact of A.R. Rahman's diverse fan community, which engages in discussions on music, legality, and distribution, reflecting broader cultural and technological changes.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script discusses the evolution of fan studies, a field that supports and defends fans, highlighting their creativity and challenging societal norms.
• 🔍 Initially, fan studies viewed fans as outsiders, but the 1990s saw a shift with scholars like Bacon, Smith, Harrington, and Jenkins celebrating fandom as a beautiful phenomenon.
• 🌐 The second wave of fan studies recognized fans as central to media marketing strategies, moving from ridicule to mainstream acceptance.
• 🎭 The third wave of fan studies acknowledges the widespread cultural phenomenon of fandom, integrating into everyday life and various media platforms.
• 🎬 Ashwin Punatar's chapter focuses on the local, regional, and global dimensions of fan experiences, particularly in the context of Indian cinema.
• 🎼 The chapter examines the role of music directors in shaping the film industry, with a case study on A.R. Rahman's influence on national and international music scenes.
• 🎁 A.R. Rahman's fans demonstrated dedication by organizing events and creating unique gifts, showing the active participation of fans in supporting their favorite artists.
• 📊 Media coverage often overlooks nuanced fan engagement, preferring sensational or extreme gestures, indicating a bias in how fan activities are portrayed.
• 🏆 Regional differences in fan activities are highlighted, with South Indian film cultures showing a strong political influence, unlike Bollywood where fan engagement is less politically charged.
• 🌍 A.R. Rahman's fan community is diverse and global, with members from various backgrounds, united by their love for his music and active in both online and offline discussions.
• 🛡 The script emphasizes the importance of reframing fan activity beyond star worship to include appreciation for the contributions of music directors and the legality of media distribution.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is the discussion of fan activity in Indian film culture, as explored in the chapter 'Rethinking Fan Activity in Indian Film Culture' from the book 'Fandom, Identities and Communities in a Mediated World'.

What is the role of fan studies as a field of study?

Fan studies is a field that supports and defends fans, examining how they creatively engage with and challenge societal norms, and protecting them from ridicule by the media and those who do not understand them. It promotes the idea that fans are smart, creative, and deserve respect.

How has the perception of fans evolved from the early days of fan studies?

In the early days, fans were often viewed as different or 'others', not like the mainstream or average person. However, from the 1990s onwards, there was a shift where fans were allowed to speak for themselves, and their activities were seen as creative and meaningful, leading to a more positive and authentic understanding of fandom.

What is the significance of the second wave of fan studies?

The second wave of fan studies, which began after the mid-1990s, marked a dramatic shift in how society views and values fans. Fans became central to marketing strategies of media industries and were celebrated by cultural industries, moving from a stereotypical perspective to mainstream acceptance.

How does the third wave of fan studies differ from the first two waves?

The third wave of fan studies recognizes that being a fan is now a widespread cultural phenomenon integrated into everyday life, rather than confined to isolated fan groups. It broadens the scope to include diverse audience behaviors and motivations and explores how fans engage with media texts and reflect broader social and cultural trends.

What is the focus of the chapter 'Rethinking Fan Activity in Indian Film Culture' by Ashwin Punatar?

The chapter focuses on the local, regional, and global dimensions of fan experiences, specifically exploring the role of fans of Indian Cinema in shaping public culture and citizenship in PR day India. It examines how these fans interact with Indian film music and raises important questions for global media studies.

What are the two examples of fan activity in Indian Cinema mentioned in the script?

The two examples are: 1) A fan-managed event for A.R. Rahman in Bangalore where fans created a unique gift for him, and 2) The media coverage and fan devotion surrounding Amitabh Bachan's hospitalization and surgery.

Why did the mainstream media not pay much attention to the fan activity for A.R. Rahman's event?

The mainstream media tends to ignore fan activity in Bollywood unless it is sensational or extreme, overlooking the more nuanced engagement of educated fans and their creative efforts.

What is the role of music directors in Indian Cinema as discussed in the script?

Music directors in Indian Cinema play a significant role in shaping the film industry and audience tastes. They influence the lyrics, expand orchestras, introduce global instruments, and have been vital to the industry since its early days. They are also highlighted in film promotions and have a strong visual presence in media.

How has A.R. Rahman's career trajectory and influence been described in the script?

A.R. Rahman started by composing ad jingles and became a music director in the 1990s. He gained fame in Tamil Cinema and later in Hindi films. His rise coincided with Bollywood gaining international attention, and he gained visibility in world music circles, composing music for international projects and having a diverse global fan community.

What is the significance of A.R. Rahman's fan community as discussed in the script?

A.R. Rahman's fan community is significant as it is a powerful example of how fans interact with broader changes in technology, economy, and politics. The community not only shares a love for music but also engages in important discussions about legality and distribution, making it a vital part of the global cultural landscape.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Fan Studies and Indian Film Culture

This paragraph introduces the concept of fan studies, a field that appreciates and defends fans' creativity and challenges societal norms. It discusses the evolution of fan studies, from viewing fans as outsiders to celebrating their contributions to culture. The paragraph sets the stage for a discussion on fandom in Indian film culture, referencing a specific chapter from a book edited by Jonathan Gray, Cornel Sandvoss, and Lee Harrington, and written by Ashwin Punathambekar. It emphasizes the importance of studying fans to understand their role in society and culture, particularly within the context of media and cultural studies as part of the Kerala University syllabus.

05:00

🎬 Shifts in Societal Perception of Fans and their Role in Media

The second paragraph explores the transformation in how society perceives fans, highlighting the shift from marginalization to centrality in media marketing strategies. It discusses the change in media portrayal from ridicule to celebration, using examples such as the Harry Potter fandom and British Prime Minister Tony Blair's engagement with football fans. The paragraph also introduces the third wave of fan studies, which recognizes fandom as a widespread cultural phenomenon integrated into everyday life, with a focus on the global and local dimensions of fan experiences, particularly in the context of Indian cinema and its fans' role in shaping public culture and citizenship.

10:01

🎼 Fan Activity in Indian Cinema: AR Rahman and Amitabh Bachan Case Studies

This paragraph delves into two specific instances of fan activity in Indian cinema, one involving the music director AR Rahman and the other, the actor Amitabh Bachan. It contrasts the media's coverage of fan dedication, showing a bias towards sensationalism and emotional extremes. The first event discusses how Rahman's fans self-organized a concert, creating a unique gift for the artist, which received little media attention. Conversely, the second event, involving Bachan's hospitalization, was widely covered, with fans' devotional acts receiving significant media exposure. The paragraph underscores the media's tendency to overlook nuanced fan engagement in favor of dramatic gestures.

15:04

🏆 Regional Differences and Political Influence in South Indian Cinema Fandom

The fourth paragraph examines regional differences in fan activities, particularly in South Indian film cultures, where actors like MGR and N. T. Rama Rao, who were also successful politicians, had their political careers significantly influenced by fan activity. The author contrasts this with Bollywood, where fan engagement is less politically charged and more organized around individual stars. The paragraph highlights the unique intertwining of fandom and politics in South Indian cinema, which is not commonly seen in other regional film industries.

20:07

🎵 The Impact of Music Directors on Indian Cinema and A.R. Rahman's Fan Community

This paragraph focuses on the pivotal role of music directors in Indian cinema, with a spotlight on A.R. Rahman's career and influence. It discusses the importance of songs in Indian films, their ubiquity in public spaces, and the way music directors shape audience tastes and the film industry. A.R. Rahman's rise to fame, his visual presence in music videos, and his transnational influence are highlighted. The paragraph also explores Rahman's global fan community, which engages in discussions, translations, and analysis of his music, and actively promotes legal sharing and protection of intellectual property rights.

25:09

🌐 The Global Cultural Landscape: A.R. Rahman's Fan Community as a Case Study

The final paragraph presents A.R. Rahman's fan community as a powerful example of how fans interact with broader changes in technology, economy, and politics. It discusses the community's engagement in important discussions about legality, distribution, and intellectual property rights. The paragraph emphasizes the role of online fan communities in the global distribution of Indian cinema and how they help shape and negotiate its place in the international sphere, making them a vital part of the global cultural landscape.

Keywords

💡Fandom

Fandom refers to a community of fans who share a common interest, often in a particular cultural phenomenon, such as a film, music, or sports. In the context of the video, fandom is central to the discussion as it explores the evolution of fan studies and the cultural significance of fans in shaping public culture and citizenship, particularly in the Indian film industry. The script mentions how fans of A.R. Rahman and Amitabh Bachan display their dedication and devotion in different ways, illustrating the multifaceted nature of fandom.

💡Fan Studies

Fan studies is an academic field that examines the activities, behaviors, and cultural impact of fans. The video discusses how this field has evolved from viewing fans as outsiders to celebrating their creativity and contributions to society. It also touches upon how fan studies defends fans against negative stereotypes and highlights their intelligence and creativity, as seen in the examples of fans' engagement with Indian cinema.

💡Cultural Studies

Cultural studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines cultural phenomena and how they shape and are shaped by society. The video is a part of a cultural studies curriculum, focusing on fan activity within Indian film culture. It uses the lens of cultural studies to analyze how fans interact with media texts and the broader implications of these interactions on society and media practices.

💡Media Industries

Media industries encompass the various sectors involved in the production, distribution, and exhibition of media content, such as film, television, and music. The script discusses how, in the second wave of fan studies, fans became central to the marketing strategies of media industries, shifting from being ridiculed to being celebrated and utilized for public relations and personal connections.

💡Fan Activity

Fan activity refers to the actions and behaviors of fans in support of their interests, which can include attending conventions, creating fan fiction, and organizing campaigns. The video specifically examines fan activity in Indian cinema, highlighting the dedication of A.R. Rahman's fans in organizing an event and the devotion of Amitabh Bachan's fans through prayer sessions and emotional gestures.

💡Mainstream Media

Mainstream media refers to the dominant and widely consumed media outlets, such as newspapers, television, and popular websites. The script points out a media coverage bias, where mainstream media tends to overlook nuanced fan engagement unless it is sensational or extreme, thus shaping public perception of fandom.

💡Regional Differences

Regional differences refer to the variations in cultural practices, behaviors, and attitudes that occur in different geographic regions. The video script discusses how fan activities in South Indian film cultures differ from those in Bollywood, with the former having a more politically charged engagement and the latter being more focused on individual stars.

💡A.R. Rahman

A.R. Rahman is a renowned Indian music director known for his significant contributions to the film industry. The script uses his fan community as a case study to explore the role of music directors in shaping the film industry and audience tastes. Rahman's fans are shown to be globally diverse, engaging in discussions and promoting his music both online and offline.

💡Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

Intellectual property rights refer to the legal rights that creators have over their creations, such as music, films, and literature. The script mentions the role of Rahman's fan community in controlling illegal media practices, such as sharing copyrighted music or films, emphasizing the importance of respecting IPR in the context of fan activities.

💡Global Cultural Landscape

The global cultural landscape refers to the worldwide array of cultural expressions, practices, and phenomena that interact and influence each other across borders. The video discusses how Rahman's fan community, through its engagement with music and discussions on legality and distribution, contributes to and is a vital part of this landscape, reflecting the interconnectedness of cultures in the digital age.

💡Public Culture

Public culture encompasses the cultural expressions and practices that are shared and accessible to the general public. The script examines how fans of Indian cinema, through their activities and interactions with media texts, shape and are shaped by public culture, influencing societal norms and values.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of fandom and its significance in society, emphasizing the importance of studying fans.

Emergence of fan studies as a field that supports and defends fans, highlighting their creativity and challenging societal norms.

Historical shift in the perception of fans from being outsiders to being celebrated for their contributions to culture and media.

The first wave of fan studies focused on understanding fan communities and their distinct subcultural identities.

Second wave of fan studies recognized fans as central to media marketing strategies and their mainstream acceptance.

Examples of how media portrayals of fandom have evolved from ridicule to celebration, such as the case of Harry Potter fans.

The third wave of fan studies acknowledges fandom as a widespread cultural phenomenon integrated into everyday life.

The chapter by Ashwin Punatar explores the local, regional, and global dimensions of fan experiences in Indian cinema.

Case study of A.R. Rahman's fans who managed his concert tour, showcasing fan dedication through hard work and creativity.

Media bias in coverage of fan activities, often ignoring nuanced engagement in favor of sensational or extreme gestures.

Regional differences in fan activities, particularly in South Indian film cultures where fans are devoted to political figures turned actors.

Comparison of fan engagement in Bollywood, which is less politically charged and more organized around individual stars.

The need to reframe fan activity beyond star worship to include appreciation for film music and the role of music directors.

The significant role of music directors in Indian cinema, particularly A.R. Rahman, and their influence on the film industry.

A.R. Rahman's career trajectory, from composing ad jingles to winning national awards and gaining international recognition.

The global fan community of A.R. Rahman, which discusses and promotes his music both online and offline, crossing cultural borders.

The role of online fan communities in the global distribution of Indian cinema and their engagement with legal and distribution issues.

The AR Rahman fan community as a vital part of the global cultural landscape, engaging with broader changes in technology, economy, and politics.

Transcripts

hi dear students this video will be a

discussion on the

chapter between rowes and rigas

rethinking fan activity in Indian film

culture now this is actually the 14th

chapter taken from the text fandom

identities and communities in a mediated

world this book is edited by janathan

gray cornnell sanos and Lee

Harrington the chapter that is

prescribed between rowes and Ras

rethinking fan activity in Indian film

culture is by Ashwin punat Beaker this

is prescribed for ma

English uh fourth semester paper

cultural studies under Kerala University

syllabus this whole

chapter is about a very interesting

subject it's about fandom or F and

audiences

worldwide in the very introductory

chapter of this book itself there is a

very valid question posed by the

editors why study fans so first let us

try to answer that question because only

then can this chapter make sense see

most of us are fans of something or if

not we know somebody who is a fan of

something or someone

so this concept of

fandom might appear awkward to many but

to many others it makes sense right it

matters now we have an emerging field of

study called fan studies so what is fan

studies basically about fan studies is a

field that supports and defends fans

it looks at how fans creatively avoid

and challenge the main ideas and roles

in

society and this field also protects

fans from being made fun of by the media

and people who don't understand them so

basically fan studies shows that fans

are smart creative and deserve

respect so basically fan studies is of

the opinion that fandom is

beautiful we see that in the early days

of studying fans researchers often

viewed fans as different or

others this means they were seen as not

like the mainstream or average

person and even though many researchers

sympathized with fans they were often

Outsiders looking in

these researchers they studied fan

communities but they always didn't

understand them

completely but later during the

1990s we see a

change through uh authors like bacon

Smith Harrington and

BLB

Jenkins

Etc they allowed fans to speak for

themselves

and these studies were often written by

people who were part of some fan

communities so this made their views

about fans more authentic and

insightful so this phase celebrated the

idea that fandom is

beautiful and instead of breaking down

the idea that fans are different

these researchers or these Scholars uh

or these fans uh actually who focused on

uh the celebrating

fandom they showed that fan activities

like attending conventions writing fan

fiction editing fan Zs organizing uh

letter writing campaigns all such fan

based activities they were not EPN

normal but rather creative and

meaningful so the goal of these

writers was to make these fan practices

seem normal and worthy of

respect so up to this early

1990s can be seen as the first wave of

fan

studies when we move on to the second

wave of fan studies which begins

uh after the mid

1990s here we see a

change and what is that

change the change is that we see a

dramatic

shift over how Society views and values

a

fan now during this second wave we see

that fans have become Central

to marketing strategies of media

Industries so instead of being

mocked fan communities are now

celebrated by cultural

Industries see even if we look at media

portrayals of

fandom that that shift is very clear

that shift from a

stereotypical uh perspective to a more

mainstream

acceptance see for

example uh earlier the Harry Potter fans

were ridiculed uh like potterheads they

were ridiculed as overly

enthusiastic but after the mid uh

1990s and into the New Millennium we we

see a change in the perspective towards

Harry

Potter we see a huge huge fan

base for the literary as well as the

Cinematic version of that series and uh

another prominent example of uh fandom

being celebrated was that of British

Prime Minister Tony Blair uh his

unexpected appearance on a football chat

show uh and that too during a political

crisis uh shows how fandom can be used

for public relations and personal

connection and now we are in the third

wave of fan

studies and it is unlike the first and

the second waves which focused on

specific fan

communities and

subcultures the third wave of fan

studies recognize that being a fan is

now a widespread cultural phenomenon

integrated into everyday life rather

than confined to isolated fan

groups and this is evident in the

migration of fan communities to the

internet and the proliferation of fan

activities across various media

platforms the first and the second waves

emphasized fans as distinct subcultural

entities but contemporary research

broadens its scope to include diverse

audience behaviors and

motivations and Scholars now explore how

fans engage with media

Texs and how they reflect the broader

social and cultural

Trends so with this minimal

understanding of what fan studies is all

about and the different phases of uh fan

studies let's move on to the chapter

prescribed now this chapter basically

reflects on the local Regional and

Global dimensions of fan

experiences and specifically through

this chapter Ashwin punatar explores

fans of Indian

Cinema and explores their role in

shaping public culture and citizenship

in PR day India and by examining how

these fans interact with Indian film

music puner raises important questions

for Global media

studies now over to the chapter between

rowes and rikas rethinking fan activity

in Indian film

culture Ashwin puner begins this

chapter by looking at two recent

examples of fan activity in Indian

Cinema the first one took place on

October 8th

2005 a Rahman the famous film music

director he performed in Bangalore as

part of a worldwide

tour now what made this event special

was that it was entirely managed by his

fans these fans volunteered for various

Stars including cluding ticket sales

stage construction and crowd

management their goal was to be

recognized as the official Rahman fan

club now as part of their efforts they

decided to present Rahman with a with a

unique gift they created a montage made

up of thumbnail images of all his album

covers which together formed a picture

of his

face now instead of buying expensive

software to create this Montage the fans

who run a design company uh called

3x.com developed their own software they

worked tirelessly coding for many

sleepless nights finally they got to

meet Rahman and uh give him the gift a

few days later they found out that

Rahman liked the gift and had displayed

it in his studio in Chennai

now despite the dedication and effort of

these fans this story did not get much

attention in mainstream

media so this is the first event that uh

pun Amer uh talks about uh about fan

activity in Indian Cinema okay now let's

move on to the second uh event now this

happened a little month little or a

month

later another significant event Indian

Cinema took place and amid bachan the

legendary Superstar of Hindi Cinema he

was hospitalized and needed

surgery now unlike rahman's story every

detail of Bin's Hospital stay and

Recovery was covered by the media

additionally many examples of fan

devotion were also reported for instance

uh many fans organized prayer session in

various cities around the world for his

recovery an article by Chopra mentions

that fans routinely gathered outside

Ban's hope jalsa uh in Suburban Mumbai

uh to catch a glimpse of him and it was

like a dasan they just wanted to see him

get a glimpse of him and some fans even

went to extreme lengths like sending him

paintings made with their own blood

so in short these two stories show

different aspects of fan activity in

Indian Cinema while the fans of a ran

showed their dedication through hard

work and creativity the fans of amitab

bachan displayed their devotion through

emotional and sometimes extreme

gestures so here puner talks about that

media coverage

bias that sort of partiality

uh see for instance in mainstream media

uh it tends to ignore fan activity in

Bollywood unless it is Sensational or

extreme like the paintings in

blood this overlooks the more nuanced

engagement of educated fans discussing a

rahman's music online so what he means

is that if only it is uh portrayed in a

if that fandom is portrayed in a very

dramatic manner like uh you write a

letter to your uh favorite celebrity uh

in blood or like the thing that is

mentioned in the text like how uh amid

Ban's fans reacted very

emotionally so only such dramatic

gestures will be uh reported by

mainstream media they will ignore that

very composed and calm uh fan activities

as portrayed by AR of man's uh

fans and

then he says that we also see Regional

differences when it comes to Fan

activities for example in South Indian

film

cultures we see that the fan

associations are very much devoted to uh

actors like mg ramachandran and N ramar

ra mg ramachandran is MGR the former

chief minister of Tamil Nadu who was

also a very famous Tamil actor we all

know that he was the founder and the

first General Secretary of the a aiadmk

party all India

anad uh party he was the founder of that

so he was very active in politics and N

ramar was the former Chief Minister of

Andhra Pradesh he was also also a very

famous actor director producer Etc so

you see that these two actors they were

also leading politicians and their

success in politics was heavily

influenced by the fan activity so this

is something that happens that happened

in South India in South Indian film

cultures uh it

works even though we don't see much

examples like that in uh Malayalam film

industry but in Tamil film industry

Telugu film industry Etc uh these actors

later becoming politicians and winning

in elections uh all this we can connect

it with the fan activity and then the

author Compares it such fan activity to

Bollywood to Bollywood industry and he

says that there the fan engagement is

different you don't see political

charging uh in Bollywood industry much

like the

earlier mentioned South Indian uh uh

examples so in Bollywood the fan activi

is less politically charged and it is

mostly organized around individuals like

amid ban or Shah rukan so this is the

regional differences in fan activity

that uh punat Amer

States next he states that we need to

reframe that fan activity

because mostly fan activity is based on

Star

worship it's mostly based on uh film

stars sports stars Etc right so uh the

author says that there needs to be a

shift in that attention we also need to

shift to uh film music and the role of

music

directors in the second section of this

uh chapter it's a about music directors

and fan identification the case of a

Rahman and uh in this section uh Ashwin

punatar explains the significant role of

music directors in Indian Cinema and he

focuses specifically on a Rahman it

highlights how music directors shape the

film industry the the unique elements of

Indian films

uh are the inclusion of multiple songs

and how these songs uh heavily influence

uh the people the public spaces in

India and in this section he also

describes a rahman's career trajectory

his influence on both National and

international music scenes so the the

key points included in this second

section are the importance and

omnipresence of songs in Indian films

the influential role of music directors

in shaping the film industry and

audience

St a Roman's rise to fame his

significant projects and his unique

visual presence in addition to his

musical

contributions the diverse Global fan

community that discusses and promotes

raman's music both online and offline so

in this ction he illustrates how these

music directors particularly a Rahman

play a crucial role in Indian Cinema and

how their work extends beyond the films

themselves so first he says that songs

in Indian films are very significant are

very important Indian in Indian Cinema

uh songs are very important we all know

that and unlike uh Hollywood films uh

popular Indian films typically include

five or six songs right and these songs

often don't directly connect to the

story but they are very important

they're very crucial for the film

experience and we know that we we see

that uh these songs are usually

choreographed into elaborate dance

sequences and they have a key part and

they have been a key part of Indian

Cinema uh since uh music or sound was

introduced in cinema so songs are very

important aspect in Indian films next he

talks about the ubiquity of film songs

that means the film songs have their own

distribution channels both official and

unofficial they heard everywhere in

India from markets and festivals to

buses and trains so the the uh music or

the film songs have a separate fan base

right and because of

this we we see that the music director

has his own role and importance in

Indian Cinema they have been very vital

to the industry since its early days

they influence the lyrics they expand

orchestras they introduce uh Global

instruments uh they shap audience days

Etc and since the 1940s producers have

highlighted music directors in film

promotions as

well okay and uh most often uh we see

that during the pre-production stage

itself successful music directors are

chosen and they are prominently featured

in advertising

materials like uh radio shows like

binaka git Mala uh they help create this

oral stardom for music

directors and then pun Amaker focuses

primarily on a Rahman a Rahman started

by composing ad jingles and he became a

music director in the

1990s he began his career in 1992 with

the maniratnam film Roa the film went on

uh to win him the national award for

best music director and that same year

he scored music for the Malayala movie

yodha and yodha is the uh one and only

Malayala movie uh music directed by him

till date but in uh

2024 that is after 2 and a half decades

uh he returned to Malayalam film

industry uh with ar viam he composed two

songs for AR viam so when we look at his

career his early career uh we see that

he gained Fame in Tamil Cinema

and later in Hindi films like rangila uh

which was released in

1995 and some of his very successful

projects include the non-film projects

like the album vand madaram released in

1997 and it sold millions of copies

worldwide and the author punat Amer

notes that uh one of the unique

qualities attributed to Rahman is the

visual presence uh Rahman was the first

Indian music director to have a strong

visual presence through music videos and

promotions on MTV and other channels and

His Image is featured in global uh

Bollywood tours advertisements as well

and we also see that he has that

transnational influence rahman's rise

coincided with Bollywood gaining

International attention U largely due to

the Indian diaspora uh and he gained

visibility in World music circles and

composed music for international

projects like Bombay dreams then the

stage version of Lord of the Rings Etc

and when you look at rahman's Fan

Community we see that he has a diverse

fan base okay uh rahman's fan Community

includes around 8,500 members from 26

countries and it includes people from

various backgrounds such as Tamil

Malaysians uh Indian Americans uh

Indians in Dubai Etc and

uh his uh and the fan activities of his

fans the the primary activity uh of his

fans is discussing uh rahman's music

including uh they translate the lyrics

uh they evaluate the musical

Arrangements uh they analyze the song

choreography Etc and these fans monitor

uh various media uh for news about

Rahman and some um some uh work uh and

some even work uh professionally with

him uh so uh this fan Community has been

recognized as rahman's official fan club

and uh these fans meet offline to

discuss Raman music they organize

concerts and form informal bands uh to

perform his

songs so

U so uh we see uh that rman fan

Community is made up of individuals from

different parts of the world and these

fans are united

by their love for film for film music

particularly rahman's music and uh the

internet uh also uh enable fans from

across the globe to connect and form

communities this online Collective also

allows for dialogues that uh cross many

borders

and and the fan activity of Rahman um

Rahman fans it also include uh trying to

control illegal media practices like

sharing films through telegram or other

media platforms sharing music uh so all

such efforts to control such illegal

uh sharing uh that is also done by uh

Rahman uh fan fans

associations and music you know it is an

intellectual

property so it comes under that IPR

intellectual property rights so uh the

media as well as as the state often view

fans who share music as Rowdy and

deviant uh if uh we often come across

such instances right when uh a film is

nearing uh its release or even if the

film is released in theaters and running

successfully in theaters we often get uh

Master copies of that film uh through

Telegram and other media Outlets uh so

this is is

illegal so whoever shares such files be

it a film be it a music file uh they are

considered as Rowdy or

deviant and the Rahman fan Community is

against such illegal sharing of uh music

files and all such stuff uh they are

into uh legal sharing of Music the ran

fan Community discusses uh or does legal

sharing of Music they talk about CD

pricing they talk about availability of

music and the legality of sharing

background scores so these discussions

are crucial to understand the role of

online fan communities in the global

distribution of Indian Cinema so here

the Rahman fan Community acts as a zone

of Engagement that means here uh

individuals uh technicians institutions

and cultural and political forces they

all come together they all engage

together uh and they all help to shape

and negotiate Indians Indian Cinemas

Place uh in an international uh

sphere so through this section U Ashwin

is trying to uh communicate that AR

rahman's fan Community is a is a very

powerful example of how fans interact

with broader changes in technology

economy and politics this community not

only shares a love for music but it also

engages in important discussions about

legality and distribution so this makes

it a vital part of the global cultural

landscape