Stars’ campus visits turn guarded affairs

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Itee Gupta, student of Kirori Mal College, remembers the commotion when actor Ranbir Kapoor visited DU campus. “It was utter madness. He had so much security with him that my friends and I could not even catch a glimpse of his face,” says Itee.

And now when she got to know that Arjun Rampal is visiting another college with at least 30 security guards, she has decided against being a part of the crowd. “I agree that Delhi people are crazy for stars but more than us, it’s the security guards of these actors who act funny and shove around people,” adds Itee.
Though the trend of promoting Bollywood movies in college campus has become a marketing strategy among filmmakers and directors, many are taking added measures to ensure the actors don’t get mobbed. While directors like Dibakar Banerjee and Maneesh Sharma were relatively relaxed when accompanying their star cast to various Delhi colleges, director Prakash Jha insisted on 30 security guards to be with Arjun ‘keeping his fan following in mind’.
Some Delhiites are star-stuck, feels Karishma Shah, student of Aditi Mahavidyalaya. “People here are a bit star crazy. And who would mind seeing these actors live and personal. But it is all limited to handshakes or getting some snaps clicked, nothing beyond that,” says Karishma.
Dr PC Jain, principal, Shri Ram College of Commerce, feels college students are always well behaved. “Many actors had come to our campus and there has never been a case where law and order on the campus was compromised. There has not been any case of students going overboard or creating a ruckus. Rather, we advise actors to get their own security. It could be two people or twenty, we don’t actually look into it,” says Dr Jain. He goes on to add that mostly outsiders are the ones who create a commotion.
Mehak Nanner, student at SRCC, supports her principal. “I remember once Aamir Khan was supposed to come to our campus, but well before he turned up, the whole campus was full of outsiders. More than college students, it’s people from outside who create a scene,” says Mehak.
Jamia Milia Islamia, where celebrities like Mira Nair, Nandita Das, Arundhati Roy visit regularly, has not had a star visit going out of control. “We have never had any security problems on our campus. Rather renowned people like Dalai Lama and Ban Ki-moon, United Nations secretary general, had visited our campus and students have always acted in a dignified manner in front of them,” says Dr Simi Malhotra, media coordinator, Jamia Milia Islamia. But she goes on to add that young students get a bit excited at the sight of an actor. “There is a radical difference between an 18-year-old student and a student in a post graduate college. The younger lot gets swayed at times while elder ones maintain their dignity. It’s all got to do with age,” reasons Simi.