Years after this incident, the phenomenon of online harassment by film fan communities remains a persistent issue in Indian digital spaces.

The Wondrous And Productive Life Of Being A Fan

Let’s get the basics straight. What does it take to be a really great fan ( or as we call hardcore fan) of a superstar in South India? Well, you got to have an unwavering loyalty to your star, irrespective of the crappy work thrown at you. You got to be just enough blind to ignore the baffling flaws in such presentations. And you got to be stupid enough to pledge your life for such idiocy in the name of entertainment. No really, these are the basics you need to have, to be called a fan. In a word, you got to be the Dothraki to your Khaleesi, (or in this case Khal). I have nothing against, the fandom of people. It’s just the misplaced fanaticism that gets to me.

And my dear reader, the following case will tell you why we as a population striving and surviving on cinema, are a horde of idiots. You see, we will bash, abuse, harass and make life hell for any person who will speak against our Hero. You utter a word, and you are a dead case online. It is not a rare occurrence, where these so called fans have taken to social media to harass someone who has spoken just a few words against their idol. And that is exactly what happened to journalist Dhanya Rajendran, who tweeted a comment. You see, she just said, that she couldn’t sit through the recent movie “Jab Harry Met Sejal“, and drew a parallel to South Indian Superstar Vijay’s movie “Sura”. The irony is, She wasn’t even talking about Sura in the first place, and yet the fans picked up on it. Yes, selective and out of context banter is our birth right.

The Actual Case Of Dhanya Rajendran Abuse As It Happened

Explaining the situation in an online post, Dhanya Rajendran says how a simple comment over a different movie altogether had brought her such terrible commentary from the fans. Her posts says,

“Last night I went to watch #JabHarryMetSejal. We don’t usually watch too many Bollywood movies (as we need to take our son along). The movie was terrible and we walked out of the theatre after an hour or so. I tweeted saying, “I watched Vijay’s Sura till interval and walked out. #WhenHarryMetSejal has made me break that record. Could not sit till interval”.

I have been trolled by Vijay fans and fans of other movie actors before. I had forgotten all that and tweeted this casually.

When I checked half hour later, my timeline was exploding with abuses. So I deleted the tweet and said not trying to start a war, Vijay fans go sleep.

But they just would not. Hundreds of abuses, the trolling is still going on, almost 24 hours later. (Perils of unemployment). Have attached screenshots of some of the abuses. There were hundreds. Anyone who came on my TL and spoke against the abuse were also viciously trolled.

I don’t know if this phenomenon that is limited to particular actors and whether a set of fans are more violent online than others.

But this is disappointing and terrifying. These are people who live among us. And ironically many of them had ‘Oviya’ as their display picture, a woman they apparently admire for speaking her mind.

It is not as if actors like Vijay don’t know about this poisonous behaviour, but they will never address it.

And to anyone who is about to ask me, “Why talk about an old Vijay movie”… Well, that’s the only movie I have walked out of. And for Vijay fans’ pleasure, I can’t invent a new one.

Rant over”

The tragedy, when we look at how the events turned out to be, remains in the vicious stalking that followed. You see, Dhanya had deleted the tweet even, but no no, why would anyone stop. The righty all mighty fans had already been scarred for life supposedly. Their sole purpose of living was under question.

The Images Which Speak The Truth

We are fans. We aren’t concerned with poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, gender inequality. None of these things. We are concerned with what Dhanya says about our favourite hero. That is our sole purpose in life.

This is the pathetic state we live in. We are defined to be assholes. Let’s continue to be one on this auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Oh, the life of irony..!!

We at VoxSpace extend our support and strength to Dhanya unequivocally. More power to you. This is a democracy, and last I knew, it wasn’t drafted by a movie star.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Vijay fans troll Dhanya Rajendran?

Dhanya Rajendran tweeted a negative opinion about a film, which Vijay fans perceived as criticism of their idol. This sparked coordinated harassment on social media, highlighting how intensely protective hardcore fans can be of their favourite actors in Indian cinema.

Is fan harassment common in Indian film industry?

Yes, toxic fan behaviour is increasingly common in Indian cinema, particularly on Twitter and Instagram. Critics, journalists, and even rival actors face abuse and harassment from obsessive fan groups who view any negative commentary as a personal attack on their idol.

What happened to Dhanya Rajendran after the trolling incident?

The journalist continued her work despite the harassment, becoming a vocal advocate against toxic online behaviour in film criticism. Her experience highlighted the need for stronger accountability on social media platforms regarding coordinated abuse campaigns.

How can film fans engage responsibly on social media?

Healthy fandom involves appreciating your favourite actor’s work while respecting diverse opinions about films. Constructive discussion, avoiding personal attacks on critics, and reporting coordinated harassment are ways fans can support their idols positively without crossing ethical boundaries.

Should film critics worry about fan backlash in India?

While fan backlash is a reality in Indian cinema, critics have the right to honest opinions without fear of coordinated harassment. Media platforms and social networks must ensure journalists can perform their duty independently, establishing consequences for organized trolling campaigns.