Paparazzi to boycott Jaya Bachchan after her remarks! Agastya Nanda’s ‘Ikkis’ promotions without paps?

Veteran actor and Member of Parliament Jaya Bachchan’s decades-long friction with photographers is hardly a secret. Her visible discomfort around cameras and her blunt, unfiltered statements have often triggered conversations about celebrity- media dynamics.

However, this time the issue has escalated after her latest remarks sparked outrage within the paparazzi community.

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Jaya Bachchan’s Sharp Take at ‘We The Women’

During a recent discussion with Barkha Dutt at the ‘We The Women’ event, Jaya Bachchan openly criticised the paparazzi culture. Her statements, layered with strong observations about the industry, sent ripples through the photography fraternity, prompting prominent voices to respond.

Paparazzi Call for Jaya's Boycott!

Popular photographer Varinder Chawla reacted to her comments in an interview with the Hindustan Times. He emphasised that he has spent years in the profession and has always respected celebrities when they made requests.

He said, "I have been in the business for so many years, and have respected celebs whenever they said something. Ranbir Kapoor said not to pap Raha, same for Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone’s dua. In 2023, in fact, I got a video of Amitabh ji from Delhi. Ek fan selfie ke liye aage badhi, unhone bure tareeke se dhakka de diya, chillaye. Seeing his age and image, I sent it to his PR, who requested me so much to not post it, so I didn’t. Humne unki izzat rakhi."

Varinder added that although not every photographer behaves ideally, he consistently instructs his team to conduct themselves responsibly. He stated that he has now asked them to step back from covering Jaya Bachchan entirely, urging them to preserve their dignity.

‘Agastya’s Film is Coming…’: A Warning from Another Photographer

Another photographer, Pallav Paliwal, addressed Jaya Bachchan’s controversial ‘gandi pant’ remark. He pointed to the irony that Jaya’s grandson, Agastya Nanda, is gearing up for the release of his debut film, and paparazzi coverage plays a big role in promotional strategy.

He said, "Judging someone on the basis of their appearance, people who work day and night tirelessly… she might be of the opinion that we aren’t ‘media’, but we are social media. Print and electronic se zyaada fast dekhe jaane wala medium hai. 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."

His remarks suggest that if photographers collectively skip promotional coverage of ‘Ikkis’, the impact will be visible - and perhaps eye-opening.

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What Sparked the Controversy?

At the event, Jaya Bachchan acknowledged that the media contributed to her stardom, but clarified that she has no affinity with paparazzi. She asserted that they lack professional training, yet roam with phones, follow people, and comment freely while shooting.

She described the photographers as individuals “standing outside with shabby drainpipe-type clothes with mobile phones in their hands”, convinced that they can film anyone and make unsolicited remarks.