Why Celebs Need A Selfie With You

It may be the new autograph, but stars want it as much as you do

entourages,” stresses digital evangelist Sree Sreenivasan. “Selfies help connect celebrities with fans thirsting for behind-the-scenes exclusive content, even if it’s staged and shared with millions of others. In the hunt for the most potentially viral selfies, you see celebs going to extraordinary lengths to set up unusual photos and perspectives.”

Without a doubt, selfies give fans a real high. But what’s in it for the celebrity? “The quality of being a selfie-friendly celeb means that the said celebrity is an approachable personality, and it puts the star at an advantage as his or her image is bound to get a boost,” says Dr Rakhi Anand, clinical psychologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.

Celebs themselves believe selfies with a fan make the fan feel much closer to them. “They feel part of your life through your (social media) feeds,” says actress Nargis Fakhri. “Selfies do help make you seem accessible, but I don’t think they really dictate the fans’ perception of you (me).”

Actor Arjun Kapoor too thinks of the selfie as “a positive affiliation”. “To me, each selfie taken is a ticket sold,” he says. “Today, pos- ing for a selfie is a natural thing to do for one’s fans; there is no strategy behind it. At least I don’t look at it that way.”

SMILE – YOU’RE GOING VIRAL

Actors may be politically correct, but what about their image-makers? On one hand, they recognise that celeb selfies are more likely to go viral. But they are also quick to say that these selfies cannot be described as an ‘agenda’. “Today, autographs have been replaced by selfies,” says Monika Bhattacharya, general manager, Yash Raj Films Communications. “Stars try to make time for selfies because they know it will mean the world to a fan.”

The fact is that selfies often go beyond narcissism – be it bearing testimony to the spirit of camaraderie or helping assess one’s fitness levels. And let’s face it, celebs and their fans alike are looking forward to epic selfies from the upcoming Global Citizen Festival India. After all, who doesn’t want a selfie with Coldplay? And why wouldn’t Coldplay want a selfie with a Bollywood star? It would be a complete win-win situation.