JOIN USFor the ordinary folk, gazing at the sky is all about spotting either the stars or the moon. But for ‘Star Wars’ lovers, sky is synonymous with a space ship and galactic realm fights between the good and the evil.
May 4 is that day when fans of ‘Star Wars’ series around the world come together and show their love for this science- fiction film.
Vinu Mathew, a senior software engineer, says, “I started watching ‘Star Wars’ in 1999 when it was first aired on television. I remember going to my cousin’s house as they had a cable connection at home. It was the classic pod race that intrigued me. I thought it was a pretty cool concept and something like I have never seen before. Since then, I’ve been a huge fan of the series and make sure that I watch all the movies that they have released since then.”
He also recalls that back in the day, M G Road would have an area dedicated just for these fans. He says, “There would be people dressed as Yoda and Darth Vader walking around. There used to be stalls selling merchandises. That’s where I got my T-shirt and posters from.”
The world that ‘Star Wars’ created was one of the main attractions of the series. While there is a ‘good side’ and ‘bad side’ to every story, the idea of bringing a balance in these series has caught many fans attention. Manohara Dev Nellore, a programme manager, says, “If I were to pick between the good and evil, I wouldn’t pick either. There’s an alternate conceptual path called ‘The Grey Jedi’ which I could side with. The concept of the effective use of force is to bring balance to this side.”
“The other attraction of this series is the use of high-end technology and lightsaber swords. I hope my son, Samaksh, also grows up to be a ‘Star Wars’ fan. But I think he would like to see more sword fights. It was these equipment that got me hooked. It was only years later that I understood the whole concept of the force and balance,” says Dev.
As the first ‘Star Wars’ was released in 1977, there have been many alterations to the way things were depicted. But that hasn’t made any of the fans lose their interest. Sana Khuraishi, a copywriter, says, “I think every movie they make is to stay in touch with the times. But I don’t mind watching it with a bit of alteration as it brings out a new perspective. Though it is a science-fiction series, the storyline that they are trying to bring out in the form of good and evil is realistic.
It’s something that everyone can relate to. And the best part is how they use really cool technology in the series.” Young people are also hooked on to the series. Aniketh and Arnav Aithal, 13 and 10 respectively, claim to be a huge fans of these series. Aniketh says, “Our dad has bought all the movies for us, so we watch whenever we want to. Both of us like to dress up like the characters in the movies. We’ve even seen the latest movie ‘The Force Awakens’ 6 times in the theatre.”
Some fans hope to catch a few episodes today or upload their status on their love for the series. Their motto is ‘may the force be with you’!