Veteran Bollywood actress Jaya Bachchan's long-standing friction with the paparazzi has escalated into a significant controversy, triggering strong backlash from the photography community. Known for her sharp exchanges that often go viral, Bachchan's recent comments, where she reportedly questioned photographers' attire and compared them to mice, have drawn open criticism from a prominent celebrity photographer.
Photographer's Hurt and Disappointment
Celebrity photographer Varinder Chawla has publicly addressed Jaya Bachchan's statements, expressing that the remarks were deeply hurtful to the entire paparazzi fraternity. In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Chawla revealed the collective sentiment of being disrespected. "We personally felt very bad about her remarks against my employees. All of us were hurt," he stated, emphasizing that there were more dignified ways to express displeasure.
Chawla contrasted Bachchan's approach with that of other top Bollywood stars. He pointed out that celebrities like Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, and Virat Kohli have set boundaries respectfully, often by personally requesting the media not to photograph their children—a request the paparazzi have honoured.
Defending the Paparazzi's Conduct and Background
Strongly defending his team's professionalism, Varinder Chawla asserted that his photographers have never misbehaved with Jaya Bachchan and have always addressed her respectfully as 'Jaya ji'. He revealed that after her comments, many photographers internally discussed stepping back from covering her altogether, not as a boycott but as a polite withdrawal.
Chawla provided crucial context about the economic realities of many photographers, making her comments on clothing particularly stinging. "Many of my employees come from financially modest backgrounds. They earn very little, and from that, they manage travel, household expenses, and everything else," he explained. He argued that commenting on someone's attire without understanding their struggles was unfair and that her words demeaned not just photographers but all common workers in the industry.
Practical Solutions and Pointing Out Contradictions
The photographer suggested practical alternatives for celebrities who wish to avoid the camera's glare. "Every event has two entries — the red carpet and the back entry. If you don’t want to be clicked, quietly enter from the back," he said, questioning the logic of walking the red carpet and then creating a scene.
Chawla also countered Jaya Bachchan's rhetorical question, "If you have to invite paparazzi to click your pictures, then what kind of celebrity are you?" He highlighted a perceived contradiction within her own family, noting that Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai's promotional events for film releases routinely invite media coverage through their PR teams, a standard industry practice for stars of all calibers.
Recap of Jaya Bachchan's Original Comments
The controversy stems from an interview Jaya Bachchan gave to Barkha Dutt on Mojo Story, where she drew a stark distinction between journalists and paparazzi. While expressing great respect for the formal media, she stated her relationship with paparazzi was "zero." She critically questioned their credentials, asking, "Who are these people? Are they trained to represent the people of this country?"
She specifically took issue with their appearance and method, saying, "Yeh jo bahar gande, tight pant pehnke, haath mein mobile leke ghoomte hain, they think that just because they have a mobile phone, they can take your picture and say whatever they want." She concluded by doubting their background and education, questioning their legitimacy as media representatives.
This public spat underscores the ongoing tension between celebrity privacy and media access in the digital age, bringing issues of respect, class, and professional etiquette in Bollywood's spotlight into sharp focus.
