The fanfare around Indian celebrity weddings is becoming so larger-than-life, that it results in fans hooked on to social media, voraciously for a glimpse of the event. In many cases, celebrities also capitalise this interest by making exclusive deals for the pictures or footage.
The recent wedding of actors Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal had thousands of their fans glued to their phones, waiting for updates. As the heightened security around the event and reports of the exclusive footage being sold to an OTT platform surfaced, it helped multiple social media platforms to gain mileage in terms of social media traction.
While there is no confirmation to the news of the deal between the newlywed couple and the OTT giant, this is not the first time an Indian celebrity will make their wedding day an interesting opportunity to make some money.
Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and singer Nick Jonas got married in 2018 and reportedly sold exclusive pictures to People Magazine for $2.5 million. The big money stands testimonial to the keenness fans have to just look at how their idols celebrated their marriage.
This concept was earlier limited to Hollywood, with actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie selling their pictures to Hello magazine for $14million. Kim Kardashian and Chris Humphries wedding was televised, bringing insane number of TRPs for the channel. Indian celebrities too are following the suit and a large reason for this is the curiosity created amongst their fans or social media users.
While Advertising guru Prahlad Kakkar questions the report around Kaif and Kaushal selling the exclusive footage, he also decodes how it is a great profit making opportunity.
He tells us, "It would make business sense if the amount for which they sell the exclusive footage cover their marriage expense plus some extended exotic vacations. If that happens, then its fine. The channels or platform they make a deal with will always demand you to not blitz the wedding at all so that they would get all exclusives. The kind of desperation is amongst media and fans when something like this happens is huge. So, then why not en-cash it. That is why they keep a certain degree of exclusiveness which invites interest from aam janta and frenzy from media and then they en-cash it."
Multiple social media platforms often use such weddings as a opportunity to draw large traction on their page, with click-bait headlines or pictures, attracting the user to click on their post, feeding into the social media algorithm.
But why are these celebrity wedding such a big deal for fans who have in many cases never even met them?
Does this also highlight the increasing sense of voyeurism among content consumers? Indulging oneself so much in the joys and pleasures of what they see, is the Indian viewership projecting any such instincts?
"I think in this case, instead of voyeurism, there's an experience of vicarious happiness by joining their idealised and loved actors in their celebrations," says Nikita Jain, Clinical Psychologist, Psychotherapist at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi.
Explaining further, she says, "These are called para social relationships, that is, a one sided relationship between fans and their loved celebrity, who is very accessible on social media these days. Fans experience an illusion of intimacy when they get a sneak peek into their lives. This sentiment can be capitalised on by streaming the footage on paid platforms,"
Watching these larger-than-life weddings, fans or viewers can project their inner desires to live such moments.
"These are fantasy weddings to the common man, hence the allure, just like fairy tales used to awe us... Through these grand celebrations, wishes are born in the minds of people, and wishes are also fulfilled vicariously. One is able to imagine what a fulfilled wish or fantasy would look like, let's say of getting married in a castle or a haveli," says Jain.
There were multiple reports around the kind of security that is spread around Kaif and Kaushal's wedding, which took place on December 7. While some suggested that media drones will be 'shot down' if spotted around venue of Six Senses Fort Barwara in Sawai Madhopar district, others said that the guests have been asked to leave their mobile phones in rooms while some have signed an NDA.
Renowned celebrity photographer and digital creator Viral Bhayani, feels that while the decision to monetise a personal event is completely a celebrity's choice, the Bollywood paparazzi deserves more support from these celebrities.
"I hope it is not there since this news is not confirmed," says Bhayani on the reports of Kaushal and Kaif getting an offer for their wedding footage. He adds," It's their personal choice because people are interested in seeing their pictures. Nobody cares for your opinion because its their choice and we can't dispute on it or say if its right or wrong. It's their wedding and their choice."
The Mumbai-based photographer's team covers celebrities around the year. He feels that, they too should get support from celebrities at such occasions and not locked out because a deal.
"Sometimes if we publish something and they don't like it. Then they will tell their PR teams and make us remove them. We support them that way, so now that they are getting married, they should also support us...Although Vicky did send food for all of us and its a great thing and Katrina also came out of her house and gave a good picture. Now, we are hoping that when they come back, they give us a good picture," he says.
Bhayani, whose official Instagram page alone has following of 2.7 million followers, highlights another aspect of these grand celebrity weddings.
"Most of the times at these weddings you have some friend who manages some picture or some bodyguard or somewhere we manage. Getting a picture and a video is not difficult but the legal aspect to it has now become more complicated. If some OTT or magazine is also part of the deal, then it becomes a big issue because they will take legal action against you and your account will be banned and deleted. It becomes very difficult." he says,