Jaya Bachchan Slams Paparazzi Culture As Intrusive
Veteran actor and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan has reignited the debate on media ethics after launching a scathing critique of paparazzi culture at the ‘We Women’ event in Mumbai over the weekend. Speaking to journalist Barkha Dutt, Bachchan said he respects responsible journalism but has “zero relationship” with the paparazzi.
“My relationship with the media is great… but my relationship with the paparazzi is zero,” he said, distinguishing educated journalism from what he called unedited and intrusive celebrity chasing.
Referring to his father’s journalism background, Bachchan said that he has great respect for the profession, but questions the training and discipline of today’s paparazzi. Criticizing their behavior, he said: “Yeh jo bahar gande, tight pants pehnke, haath mein mobile lek… They think they can take your photo and say whatever they want just because they have mobile phones.”
He argued that easily accessible phone cameras blur the line between journalism and voyeurism, giving many people a false sense of entitlement to celebrities’ personal space.
Bachchan also addressed his absence from social media, saying that he was often labeled as “one of the most hated” on the internet but was unaffected by it. “I don’t care,” he said, adding that he rejects platforms that promote negativity.
His most notable comment came when he compared paparazzi behavior to trespassing: “I don’t like you at all because you think you can act like a choo and break into someone’s house with a cell phone camera.”
His comments sparked mixed reactions online; some found his tone harsh, while others agreed with his concerns about privacy, boundaries, and declining professionalism in digital age media.
This article was written by Sakshi, Intern, St Joseph’s Degree and PG College.
