Difference between Movie Star and Cricketer
Cricket and movies might seem to be completely different pastimes for completely different fan bases in India, but the craze for both of these among viewers has been the same from the very beginning. If cricket is a religion for Indians then movie stars are no less than gods for them. Fan following of cricketers and movie stars has always been comparable in Indian popular culture. Film producers are aware of this fact and they have never hesitated to link cricket and movies into their productions. A recent example of this is the movie “Jannat” (Heaven), which was based on an expert in fixing Cricket matches. The movie was a big success in the Indian film industry.
Career
The career of a cricketer at the international level generally starts at around the age of twenty, although there are exceptions such as the legendary player Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. On average, a cricketer retires from international cricket at an age generally ranging from thirty to thirty five. Cricketers generally stay in touch with cricket industry playing roles of coaches or commentators. Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Ravi Shastri are some of very famous players who have become successful commentators.
In the case of movies, a successful career length differs from actor to actor. Some get an early start as child artists while others jump into the industry at later on but manage to achieve vast popularity. There are some extraordinary actors like Mr. Amitabh Bachchan who have ruled the industry at a young age as well as at later stages of their life. Aging actors in India are subject to losing favor as leading men and women just as they do in other places such as Hollywood, Broadway, the London Theatre, etc.
Fame
The popularityof a cricketer generally depends upon the region to which he belongs. Although at international level, the regional factor has lesser importance. On the state level or in tournaments like Indian Premier League or the ICL, teams are made from different regions of the country and fans are distributed accordingly. In case of movie stars, there are no boundaries as such. South Indian movies stars, however, have popularity limited to Southern India with few exceptions like Mr. Rajnikanth. Some Indian film stars are known worldwide. Actors like Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, and Sushmita Sen have gained worldwide fame. Many Indian movies have been nominated for the Academy Awards and these have helped Bollywood stars in gaining international popularity.
Gender
As far as cricket is concerned there is not much scope for women. Although cricket for women is becoming popular over time, popularity is very minimal as compared with men’s cricket. On the other hand, women have a great role to play in film industry; some might even vote for a major role. Female actors are very successful in the industry. Some even continue their career after marriage although in the Indian movie industry it’s seen as a conflict of interest for a married woman to continue to be an actor, which I would say is really unfortunate. But one has to admit the fact that Indians never fail to motivate talent, as comeback of Mrs. Madhuri Dixit Nene was vastly appreciated.
Similarities and Differences
Cricketer
- On an average a cricketer retires from international cricket at the age ranging from thirty to thirty five.
- At international level the regional factor has lesser importance.
- Popularityof a cricketer generally depends upon the region to which he belongs.
- There is not much scope for women in cricket.
Movie Star
- Age is not always a barrier in a success of a movie star.
- Actors like Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, and Sushmita Sen have gained worldwide fame.
- Female actors are very successful in the industry, though they generally retire after marriage.
