Can the celebrity speak? Controversies and the eulogistic fandom of Shah Rukh Khan | Culture and communication in digital worlds

Author(s): Abir Misra

Year of publication: 2022

Keywords: Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), Media controversy, Fandom, Islamophobia, Eulogistic buffer

Methodology/Sample: Case Study/_

Reference: Misra, A. (2022). Can the Celebrity Speak? Controversies and the Eulogistic Fandom of Shah Rukh Khan. American Behavioral Scientist, 66(8), 1075-1090. https://doi.org/10.1177/00027642211042286

Abstract

This article addresses the participation of celebrities and their fans in media controversies. As techno-social events, controversies are constitutive of discursive battles, between numerically conscious participatory communities, aimed at describing the meaning and significance of cultural symbols. Celebrities, in their capacity as cultural symbols, provide the ground for staging these discursive battles. Fan participation, as auxiliary of celebrity participation, is studied here specifically to discern its essential functions vis-a-vis controversies. For elaborating its argument, this article looks at Shah Rukh Khan (hereafter SRK) and his fandom in India. SRK, as a transcultural symbol of Liberal Islam, was embroiled in media controversies wherein the meaning and significance of his ‘Muslimness’ was debated and scrutinised. Marked by struggles between SRK fandom, on one side, and right-wing/reactionary groups on the other, these controversies testify SRK’s centrality in political debates surrounding the ‘Muslim Question’ in Indian Polity. This article argues that SRK Fandom’s primary discursive function is to create an ‘Eulogistic Buffer’ that insulates SRK from right-wing/reactionary islamophobia.

> Summary

The paper examines celebrity participation in media controversies, focusing on Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) and his fandom’s dynamics in India.
It highlights the discursive battles between SRK’s fans and right-wing groups regarding the significance of his ‘Muslimness’.
SRK fandom functions as an ‘Eulogistic Buffer’ to insulate him from right-wing islamophobia.
The study emphasizes the importance of numerical strength in fandoms for influencing public opinion.
It discusses the tactical silence of SRK and his fans in political matters, avoiding the ‘game of numbers’.

> Problem statement

The paper addresses the participation of celebrities and fans in media controversies as discursive battles over cultural symbols.
It specifically examines Shah Rukh Khan’s fandom and its role in political debates surrounding the ‘Muslim Question’ in India.
The research argues that SRK fandom functions as an ‘Eulogistic Buffer’ against right-wing Islamophobia.

> Methods used

Not addressed in the paper.

> Practical implications

The paper highlights fandom’s role in shaping public opinion during controversies, acting as a buffer or prosecutor for celebrities.
It emphasizes the importance of numerical strength in fandoms, influencing celebrities’ confidence in engaging with controversies.
The findings suggest that media celebrities’ political stances can trigger uncertain controversies, impacting their social standing.
The study illustrates the dynamics between fans and right-wing groups, particularly in the context of cultural symbols like Shah Rukh Khan.
Overall, the research underscores the significance of fan participation in discursive battles surrounding cultural and political issues.