MUMBAI – Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney, best known for her roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus, has become the subject of a curious internet trend in India. Despite her lack of mainstream popularity in the country, the 27-year-old actor has more physical fan clubs listed on Google Maps than many of India’s biggest cinematic legends, including Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.
The phenomenon began around 2023 with the creation of the “All India Sydney Sweeney Fans Sangam,” which has chapters in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai, all with pinpointed physical locations on Google Maps. More recently, additional “fan clubs” have been added in places like Mumbai and Chennai. This trend is particularly unusual in the age of social media, where most celebrity fan clubs have transitioned to a purely digital presence. For comparison, Amitabh Bachchan, who once had hundreds of physical fan clubs, now has only two, while Shah Rukh Khan has just a handful. This contrasts sharply with the south Indian film industries, where physical fan clubs for stars like Rajinikanth and Prabhas are still a common and popular practice.
Attempts to contact the representatives of these Sydney Sweeney fan clubs have been unsuccessful, and their existence as genuine, functioning organizations remains unconfirmed. The most likely explanation for this bizarre trend is that the initial “fan club” was created as a joke or a meme on Google Maps. As the internet discovered and marveled at the absurdity of it, others followed suit, creating more such listings for fun. Despite having a location pin, these listings lack a verifiable physical address, photos of the premises, or contact information.
Sydney Sweeney, who has never visited India, has gained global recognition for her acclaimed performances and as the brand ambassador for several viral ad campaigns. She has been named in the Time 100 Next list and has received two Emmy nominations. While the reasons behind this peculiar Indian fan club trend remain a mystery, it highlights the power of internet culture to create a unique, if not entirely real, form of celebrity adoration.