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Key Points:
Jaya Bachchan’s “gandi pants” comment on paparazzi has sparked a major backlash within the media community.
Bollywood paparazzi unite to boycott the veteran actress, calling her remarks classist and disrespectful.
Industry photographers claim their coverage is crucial for film promotions.
The longstanding tension between veteran actress Jaya Bachchan and the Indian paparazzi has taken an inevitable turn. Her recent remarks have sparked a discourse on the classist ideologies that continue to exist within the film industry. In a recent development, several Bollywood paparazzi have united to boycott the actress.
Recently, the Sholay actress shared her views on Bollywood’s paparazzi culture during a conversation with journalist Barkha Dutt at the event, ‘We The Women’. During their interaction, the 77-year-old spoke on various subjects — from her relationship with her husband and legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, to calling the concept of marriage “outdated.” But it was her comments on the attire of photographers that drew widespread criticism from media professionals.
The actress questioned the contemporary paparazzi culture in Bollywood and where it has emerged from. She said, “But yeh jo bahar gande, tight pant pehnke, haath mein mobile leke — they think just because they have a mobile, they can take your picture and say what they want.”
She also raised concerns about the interactions they have with celebrities, questioning whether they truly represent the people. “What kind of people are these? Kahan se aate hain, kis tarah ka education hai? Kya background hai? They will represent us? Just because they can get through to YouTube or whatever social platform?” said Jaya Bachchan.
Many senior paparazzi and photographers have now come forward, standing united to boycott the actress for what they deem insensitive and classist remarks. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Bollywood photographer Varinder Chawla shared his take on the matter.
Chawla, who has been a part of the film industry for years, has come across similar situations in the past where the media was asked to set certain boundaries. He recalled how paparazzi were instructed to refrain from clicking pictures of celebrity children.
Chawla recalled an incident from 2023 involving Amitabh Bachchan’s rude behaviour with a fan. “I got a video of Amitabh ji from Delhi. Ek fan selfie ke liye aage badhi, unhone bure tareeke se dhakka de diya, chillaye (‘When a fan stepped forward for a selfie, he rudely shoved her and yelled.’).” He immediately contacted the Bachchan PR team out of respect for the actor and was instructed not to post the video footage anywhere.
Chawla further stated that he had earlier instructed all paparazzi to be mindful of their language when interacting with actors. “But she (Jaya Bachchan) should know — the paparazzi she is targeting, are they all paps, or are there YouTubers and fans in the mix too?” said Chawla.
He further added, “Kisi ko aise bura mat boliye. Don’t speak so badly to anyone like that. I told my colleagues, apni self-respect rakhte hain, aur inko boycott karte hain (we have our self-respect, so let’s boycott them).”
Fashion photographer Pallav Paliwal pointed out that events held to promote films are mostly covered by paparazzi. Reacting to Jaya Bachchan’s “gandi pant” statement, she said, “It’s unfortunate what she said. Her grandson Agastya’s film Ikkis is going to be released. What if the paps don’t come to cover the promotions?”
Paliwal further stated that paparazzi are not mainstream media but are part of “social media,” which is consumed at the fastest rate. “If Jaya ji can promote Agastya’s film without paps, on her own, by posting on her social media pages, then okay. Aap itni badi hasti hain, aisa nahi bolna chahiye tha,” said Paliwal.
[Rh]
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