Veteran Bollywood actor and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan has ignited a fresh controversy with her scathing comments about the paparazzi culture, leading to a significant backlash from photographers and senior journalists who have accused her of inherent meanness.
The Incident That Sparked the Fire
The row began at a recent event in Mumbai where Jaya Bachchan, in a conversation with journalist Barkha Dutt for Mojo Story, made disparaging remarks about photographers. She questioned their appearance, background, and education, specifically targeting their attire. "These people who wear drainpipe-tight, dirty pants and hold mobile phones think that because they have a mobile, they can take your picture and say what they want," she stated, further asking, "What kind of people are these? Where do they come from? What kind of education do they have? What is their background?"
Paparazzi and Journalists Hit Back
The comments did not sit well with the paparazzi community. Prominent photographer Varinder Chawla, speaking on a roundtable discussion hosted by Hindi Rush, vehemently defended his profession's dignity. He immediately countered the 'dirty clothes' allegation by gesturing to his own outfit and asking, "Do you think I am wearing dirty clothes?"
Chawla emphasized the respect his team has always shown the actor, revealing a key detail: "I can vouch for my team when I say that not a single member of the paparazzi has ever addressed her in any way other than 'Jaya ji.' Every time they call out to her, they only say 'Jaya ji.'" He attributed her outburst to her nature, suggesting the industry has long been aware of it.
As a direct response to her criticism, Chawla revealed he has taken a proactive step: "I distributed T-shirts among my team so that at events, celebrities can recognise which paparazzi belong to Varinder Chawla’s team. Especially if there are people passing comments, celebs should know they are not from my team."
Balanced Perspectives and Alternative Solutions
While criticism was strong, some panelists offered more nuanced views. Senior journalist Ujjwal Trivedi acknowledged Bachchan's right to an opinion but criticized her delivery. "What she said wasn’t entirely wrong, but the way she said it was not right. She didn’t have to be so mean. She could have politely addressed the issue," he stated.
Journalist Hina Kumawat pointed out that judging people by their clothes was unfair and suggested a simpler solution to avoid unwanted photography. "If she doesn’t like being papped, there was a very simple solution. Just like Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli put out a statement requesting the media not to photograph their children, Jaya ji—through Abhishek Bachchan or Aishwarya Rai—could have issued a similar statement. The paparazzi would have respected it," she explained.
Chawla supported this by citing examples of polite requests from other celebrities like Anushka Sharma, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, and Janhvi Kapoor, which were always respected, including blurring children's faces if photographed accidentally.
A History of Tension and a Community's Hurt
The controversy has highlighted the ongoing tension between some celebrities and the paparazzi. Photographer Pallav Paliwal expressed disappointment, reminding everyone of the paparazzi's role. "Amitabh ji comes outside his house every Sunday—no leading media covers it, it’s us paparazzi," he said, adding that their work on social media is a powerful medium.
A member from Viral Bhayani's team also reacted in a viral video, asserting, "We have never abused any celebrity. We know what we are doing. We are human beings too." The strong reactions have even led to talks of a potential boycott of events involving Bachchan and her family by sections of the paparazzi.
However, journalist Vicky Lalwani provided a contrasting reality check, noting, "Varinder, Viral, and Manav are not the only paparazzi. Today, everyone is a pap. They will never stop clicking celebrities."
The episode has opened up a debate on privacy, mutual respect, and the changing dynamics of celebrity-media interactions in the digital age, with Jaya Bachchan's remarks serving as a flashpoint for long-simmering grievances.
