Modern actors are admired in today's cinema as talented, charismatic, and effective. But there should never be so much admiration for their craft as blind following of the persona. The recent conversations about people like Vicky Kaushal, Ranveer Singh, Manoj Bajpayee, and Salman Khan only serve to remind us that performance is inspiration, but at the end of the day, actors are human beings who have their own flaws, decisions, and beliefs.
Yes, Vicky Kaushal will receive credit for his commanding performances, while Ranveer Singh may be suddenly crowned a heartthrob. But Manoj Bajpayee’s calamity forces us to realize an important reality: talent does not mean trust. Actors are performers, not saints. Their excellence on a screen does not wash out wrongdoing actions or comments off the screen. Ranveer’s imitation of sacred rituals, for instance, is a metaphor for how easily admiration can become disappointment when fans equate art with personal values.
The power of actors goes beyond the screen. Even Salman Khan and Ranbir Kapoor attending RSS events illustrate how celebrity power is embedded into political and cultural conversations, rather than being simply an objectified, disposable story. When celebrities are featured on stage, messages are amplified on a platform that reaches out well beyond the walls of cinema. That’s why discernment is important audiences need to disentangle attraction to an actor’s artistry from blind belief in his or her identity or affiliation.
A big part of what fans do is to bring actors to the pedestal of greatness; they consider them to be role models, cultural icons, the most perfect kind of idol. It is quite normal to admire their performances but that is also the same way it can damage critical thinking. To appreciate the art, the roles, the stories, the emotions is healthy. But to follow every word, action or correlation of a celebrity unconditionally can warp one’s judgment. Cinema is to engage, motivate and provoke thought rather than compel blind loyalty.
No matter what, admiration should not be mistaken for faith. Actors are performers who bring characters to life, but they are not moral authorities or saints. Their choices, connections and off‑screen behavior need to pass some thought. As audiences we still must learn to appreciate the art, the craft and performers that touch our souls, all while we make choices based on our own gut feeling. By sharing that we are doing so, we protect the cinema’s integrity, and our own capacity to think critically.
