'Sad, unfortunate:' Bollywood stars speak up against paparazzi clicking inappropriate pictures

Female actors are addressing an age-old dilemma

Celebrities and the paparazzi - or "paps" as Kareena Kapoor Khan infamously labelled them - have always shared a complicated equation. As much as stars need to be clicked for publicity and relevance, it is also true that members of the paparazzi tend to take liberties with what they click. 

As per the Indian Express, the conversation around paparazzi behaviour has been reignited in recent weeks as multiple female celebrities have voiced concerns over invasive and inappropriate photography tactics. 

A video of Bollywood actor Janhvi Kapoor requesting the paparazzi to avoid capturing her from "wrong angles" went viral, spotlighting the issue once again. Despite her plea, images of her back were widely circulated on social media the next day, raising questions about the ethics of paparazzi practices. Here are some of the actors who have raised their voices against lewd tactics employed by the paps:

Janhvi Kapoor

While the actor has always maintained a friendly rapport with the paparazzi, she recently expressed feeling increasingly self-conscious due to being photographed from unflattering angles. "Some of them have also been incentivised to do these things," she remarked, as reported by Indian Express. "Like they’ll take a normal video of you but in the cover photo, they’ll use the picture with the wrong angle, the ones that look the most sensational because it is clickbait, especially when it is a woman. That’s when you feel not most comfortable."

She furthered, “I can’t even walk confidently because there is a constant commentary going on in my head that ‘bachke rehna galat angle aa sakta hai (be cautious you are being clicked from wrong angles)’. It’s sad, and unfortunate, and I hope better sense prevails. It’s not respectful,” 

She also recalled, "There was a phase when I would happily say ‘bye’ without realising why they were asking me to do that. Now I feel how stupid I was. Then there are comments on how I was intentionally trying to show these angles. The judgement around a woman’s clothes, character, and sexuality is so sensitive, it’s exhausting. I hope we can come to a place where the media, the paparazzi are more cognizant of these things.”

Nora Fatehi

Nora Fatehi, another prominent performer, has also spoken out against such practices. In an interview with News18, Nora discussed how photographers often zoom in on her body parts, making her uncomfortable. “I guess they’ve never seen a butt like that before," she said. "It is what it is. The media doesn’t just do it to me but to other female actors also. Maybe they don’t zoom into their butt because it’s not exciting but they zoom into their other body parts unnecessarily. Sometimes, I think that there’s nothing to zoom into, so what are they focusing on?”

Mrunal Thakur

Similarly, Mrunal shared her frustrations, noting how her parents feel uncomfortable seeing inappropriate pictures of her online. In a conversation with iDiva, Mrunal revealed that she had to address the paparazzi about their behaviour directly. 

She revealed, "Earlier I was facing this problem until I had a conversation with the paps. I showed one of them the chat that my mother had shared where she had said ‘kiti pan dhaaklele kapde ghaatle tari pan te loka focus tithech kartat (however you dress up, they focus there only)’, that’s what she said in Marathi. So I was like should I stop getting clicked, should I change my route when I see you? And they know the car so we can’t even ignore them.”

Mrunal continued, “But I just told them that I respect your profession and you need to respect me and my identity, my character and who I am because when my relatives and family friends see, it doesn’t leave a good impression, not on me, not on the page it is uploaded on. So, they’ve understood and I am really happy that there are people who are also talking about it, that they are not comfortable with. I don’t know why others don’t talk. Maybe they are okay with that, they can go and pap them that way, not us.” 

The other side

The conversation, however, is not one-sided. Veteran paparazzo Yogen Shah has acknowledged the issue and expressed support for celebrities speaking out. Yogen, who has been in the field for over thirty years, emphasised the need for a set of guidelines for paparazzi to follow. “It is not right," he said. "We should know where to draw a line. Just because we have access to the stars and because they are pally with paps on the field, it doesn’t mean we click them disrespectfully.”

The media professional pointed out that while most professional photographers adhere to strict guidelines, the rise of social media and clickbait culture has led to some crossing boundaries. He urged for mutual respect between celebrities and photographers, suggesting that understanding body language and respecting personal space should be a priority.

The ongoing dialogue between celebrities and paparazzi underscores the need for ethical practices in media coverage. As public figures continue to advocate for their right to privacy and respectful treatment, it is hoped that a more balanced and empathetic approach will prevail in the world of celebrity photography.

Have something to add? Share it in the comments