Veteran actress Jaya Bachchan has once again ignited a fierce debate after she made a scathing comment about paparazzi during a recent interview. Criticising their attire, she referred to some of them as wearing “gande drain-pipe pants” and questioned their right to call themselves media professionals.
Her remarks prompted a sharp, collective reaction from many paparazzi and photojournalists. Several prominent photographers reportedly convened and decided to boycott all media coverage of the Bachchan family, including promotions for her grandson Agastya Nanda’s upcoming film Ikkis.
One veteran photographer, while responding, remarked that the Bachchans have relied on paparazzi for decades — for instance when her husband visits his fans — and such sweeping insults feel unfair. “Judging people by their clothes and calling them ‘not media’ is wrong,” he said.
The controversy has ignited a wider discussion on respect, professionalism, and the boundaries between celebrities and media. With cameras often present at every public move, photographers say that dismissing their work undermines a profession that many make their living from.
At the moment, the Bachchan camp has remained silent. But if the media blackout unfolds, it could cast a shadow over promotional plans for upcoming films — and rekindle the long-standing war between the paparazzi and Bollywood’s elite.
