Bollywood Paparazzi Announce Indefinite Boycott of Bachchan Family After Jaya’s Remarks

Leading Bollywood paparazzi have announced an indefinite boycott of the Bachchan family following veteran actress and MP Jaya Bachchan’s scathing remarks describing photographers as ill-mannered individuals wearing “drainpipe-tight, dirty pants.” The strongly worded criticism, made at a recent public event, has triggered an unprecedented backlash from the very lensmen who have chronicled the family’s public life for decades.

Prominent photographers including Viral Bhayani, Manav Manglani, Varinder Chawla, and Pallav Paliwal have publicly expressed hurt and anger at being labelled uneducated and uncivilised. They pointed out that they are the only ones who faithfully cover Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic Sunday fan meet-and-greet outside Jalsa, an event ignored by mainstream media outlets, and questioned who will now promote grandson Agastya Nanda’s debut film Ikkis if the boycott is enforced.

In separate statements, the photographers emphasised their professionalism and restraint. Varinder Chawla revealed he once withheld footage of Amitabh Bachchan pushing a fan after receiving a request from the family’s PR team, while Manav Manglani suggested Jaya Bachchan may not have adapted to the digital media era and urged her children and grandchildren to guide her. Pallav Paliwal challenged the family to promote Agastya’s film without paparazzi support if they believed photographers were beneath them.

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Several photographers drew a clear distinction between trained paparazzi and rogue YouTubers who often cross ethical boundaries for viral content. They insisted the entire community was being unfairly targeted for the actions of a few overzealous content creators who infiltrate celebrity events with mobile phones and provocative behaviour.

The controversy erupted when Jaya Bachchan, asked about her often-strained equation with the paparazzi, launched into a sharp critique of their appearance, language, and perceived lack of education and background. Describing herself as a “product of the media” with a journalist father, she maintained respect for traditional press but dismissed camera-wielding individuals at public events as unprofessional intruders entitled by nothing more than a smartphone. The viral clip has now escalated into a full-blown standoff between one of Bollywood’s most powerful families and the photographers who shape their public image.

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