Being famous can be an amazing thing. You'll be remembered forever. Riches will come your way and there's a possibility that you'll be set for life without having to worry about anything. However, fame does have a price.
There's a slim chance of being left alone. You'll be followed by people everywhere and they won't stop until they get what they want. This can lead the famous to do things that might not be right. On the other hand, they might be caught doing something that isn't right.
The craze among fans for Indian cricketers has always been unparalleled. They go to great lengths to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars, but at times the line is crossed, leaving players frustrated.
Cricket is a religion in India and rightfully so. The sport unites the country like no other and whenever the Indian team plays, the entire country watches the game with bated breath and roots for the 11 men that represent the country. Players are treated like demi-gods, and they enjoy a huge fan following in the country. Cricket is more than a sport in this country and not only the Indian players, but the overseas players from countries like Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand enjoy a huge fan following.
Their private space is often compromised as fans barge in to click selfies with them. In a video that went viral on social media, India all-rounder, Washington Sundar, was seen facing a similar situation, as he was surrounded by a group of fans seeking selfies; leaving him visibly uncomfortable and unable to accommodate their request.
Washington Sundar has divided the internet after his seemingly small action of refusing a photo with eager fans sparked online debate over his "attitude." A viral video of Sundar shows him walking by when some wayward fans, including a teenager, approach him for a selfie. However, the 58-time T20I player immediately looked frustrated and turned his back.
The video garnered thousands of views in a day with comments like, "Washington Sundar looks like a proper gentleman, but his attitude is on another level — even more than big names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Hardik Pandya."
Washington Sundar refusing to give out selfies has left the internet divided. Few fans feel that the cricketer has attitude, while the others urged people to treat cricketers like human beings and understand that even they have their bad days too. One user also dragged Virat Kohli into the conversation and wrote that this is the reason why Kohli moved to London.
One user commented, "This is after doing what exactly for the Indian cricket team?" Others called for a more polite attitude, "Thoda jayada ho gaya, isko polite rahna chahiye (This is a bit much, he should have been polite)."
Several noted that it could be a reaction to being uncomfortable, as the fans had invaded his privacy. "Privacy is also important for everyone, but we Indians always blame celebrities,” a comment read. One wrote, "Or may be he’s just not having a good day, don’t judge."
Another user defended Sundar, saying, "That is an invasion of personal space. He is a human. We need to learn that celebrities are not another species." Another wrote, "They are fed-up with people invading their privacy each time they step out, fans should give them space and not follow with cameras everywhere."
Meanwhile, Sara Tendulkar, daughter of Indian great, Sachin, has gotten backlash after a beer bottle video went viral.
Sara Tendulkar, who is a rising entrepreneur, has been facing intense backlash after a video of her went viral on social media. The video shows Sara chilling with friends celebrating New Year's Eve in the streets of Goa, while allegedly holding a beer bottle. The viral clip appears to have been recorded by a passerby, showing Sara wearing a pink floral dress, signifying a beach party look, walking casually with friends in Goa.
The presence of the bottle came under scrutiny due to her identity as the daughter of India’s most celebrated cricket icon. The trolls were quick to point out the contrasting behaviour of Sara with the public image of her father, Sachin Tendulkar.
The alleged alcohol bottle in Sara's hand has sparked a massive trolling spree on the Internet, with netizens taking potshots at her while comparing it to her father's stance on tobacco and alcohol.
Sachin Tendulkar has maintained a "I will never promote alcohol and tobacco" stance for years. Explaining the logic behind his strict stance, Sachin had said it was a promise he made to his father.
"He told me I am a role model and a lot of people will follow what I do. That is why I have never endorsed tobacco products or alcohol," Sachin said, while sharing that in the 1990s, his bat didn’t have any sticker on it, while everybody else in the team had – because they were being endorsed by two brands in particular: Wills and Four Square.
"I didn’t break the promise that I gave to my father by not endorsing these brands. I got many offers from them to endorse their brand by having their sticker on my bat, but I didn’t want to promote all that," Sachin said. "I have stayed away from these two things and have never broken the promise to my father."
Social media users trolled Sara Tendulkar for "not being true to the idols" of her father, with some even going as far as blaming the former cricketer for bad parenting. "Sachin Tendulkar never promoted things like tobacco, cigarettes, pan masala and alcohol. But he couldn't keep his daughter sara tendulkar away from addiction," a user said.
One of the comments on social media wrote: "Her father is one of some great cricketers and a teetotaller as well. But failed to instill good values in his daughter. Shameful!"
However, some of the fans supported by arguing her right to privacy as an independent individual while exposing the hypocrisy of such scrutiny. "How is Sara having a beer equivalent to Tendulkar promoting alcohol? And can’t a daughter have a drink?"
"Dragging Sara Tendulkar over a viral clip is peak hypocrisy. She’s a private citizen, not a moral contract signed by her father’s endorsements. Policing young women’s lives while ignoring real issues is the real addiction here," said another user.
Beyond all this social media storm, Sara Tendulkar is building herself in silence and bringing a new spark to the sports-oriented family.
Being a trained nutritionist, she just launched a "Pilates Academy X Sara Tendulkar" in Dubai and Mumbai. She also serves as a director at Sachin Tendulkar’s Foundation, dealing with health-related and social initiatives.
While opinions continue to pour in, one thing is clear: Sara Tendulkar is simply living her life on her own terms. For many, that’s exactly what makes her relatable in the first place.
The support she received after the controversy emphasizes that star kids also deserve the privacy and space to live their lives as ordinary citizens.
These types of fans annoy me. They clearly don't really care about others and won't stop until they get what they want. They'll make up lously excuses and say nasty things in retaliation. Athletes/celebrities are entitled to their space. Spontaneous appearances from fans shouldn't mean that the famous person/people have to give them a few minutes of their time.
Every person is different. Children aren't ordered to follow directly into their parent's footsteps. They are allowed to live their own lives. A promise can't be a family heirloom.