From celebration to calculation: What’s wrong With Rajinikanth and Vijay fans today?

The fan rivalries in Kollywood and across the Indian film industry have become an ongoing battle, often spilling over into negativity and online trolling. In this digital age, where every individual holds a powerful tool in the form of a smartphone and social media access, this influence should be used to uplift cinema rather than tear it down.

Recently, a heated online debate unfolded between fans of two of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars – Rajinikanth and Vijay. A Rajinikanth fan shared the balance sheet of 7 Screen Studio, the production house behind Leo, highlighting that the film’s declared income was ₹404+ crores (from sale of services). This was used to challenge the producer’s earlier statement of Leo grossing ₹600+ crores worldwide. In retaliation, Vijay’s fans shared Sun Pictures’ balance sheet for Jailer, stating a reported income of ₹313+ crores, and similarly called the ₹600+ crore gross claim “fake.”

This tit-for-tat exchange only added fuel to the fire. However, Producer/distributor/National Award-winning author Dhananjayan Govind have stepped forward to clarify. In a recent interview, he explained that balance sheets reflect only the producer’s actual revenue, not the gross earnings. For example, if a film needs to earn ₹100 crores in distributor share from Tamil Nadu, it must gross more than ₹225 crores. The balance sheet will only show the producer’s share – not taxes, not the exhibitor’s cut, and certainly not the full box office gross.

Despite repeated clarifications from producers and trade analysts, many fans continue to spread misinformation based on incomplete understanding. The result? Half-baked theories and viral posts that do little more than stoke fan wars.

As lovers of cinema, we need to ask ourselves: what’s the point of all this? When a producer declares a film’s gross officially, often through posters or press releases – he is making a public statement that will be scrutinized by the income tax department. There’s very little room to fabricate figures without facing consequences. So why question and troll these declarations, instead of simply celebrating the success of Tamil cinema?

Ultimately, the rivalry between stars should never translate to rivalry between fans. Last week, we highlighted how both Rajinikanth and Vijay have the potential to bring over ₹1000 crores in combined revenue to the industry. That should be the focus – their contribution to cinema, to the economy, and to the culture.

Let’s choose unity over division. It’s time to end toxic fan wars and embrace the bigger picture: cinema is meant to be celebrated, and comparisons should be healthy, not hostile.