May 20, 2026 1:01pm IST
Salman Khan vs The Paparazzi Circus: A Look Into The Death Of Privacy
Watching Salman Khan lose his temper with the paparazzi last night was uncomfortable. The photographers might have been unaware of the medical emergency involving his best friend's wife, but common courtesy dictates that a hospital visit is never a public spectacle.
A paparazzi's job used to be about capturing candid photographs of celebrities going about daily lives, in public spaces. Getting coffee or clubbing; for features like: Stars -- They are just like us.
Lines crossed
Before long it became about pursuing public figures, even in their private spaces -- in their homes, on holidays and even private weddings. These pics are usually sold to publications and websites. Worldwide, there are conversations about privacy laws and right of celebs, however there seems to be no lines that won’t be crossed in bringing voyeuristic pictures to star gazers. Not even funerals are off-limits now. But now, the cameras even enter funeral homes to shoot the family and those who come to pay respects. Paparazzi culture frequently crosses ethical boundaries by shooting this cringe content, choosing profit over privacy and dignity. Media outlets that publish this content are the financial engine driving the industry.
A recent clip of a man who is known for his calm off screen, as he is for the rage on screen, went viral. Sunny Deol abused the paps at his front gate for making his father Dharmendra’s ill-health a reel-worthy moment. The occupation and its implications have now become a topic of a very public debate - where does one draw the line? Where does the gaze of the prying lens end and the safe space of a public figure begin?
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Most actors have taken to the grin-and-bear-it when it comes to paps showing up at airports, gyms and outside restaurants. Alia Bhatt hid her annoyance when cameras followed her, each time she showed up at the site where her home was being built. But when a photographer climbed into the adjoining building and captured her in her home, she took to social media to condemn the act, calling it a "invasion of privacy" and a "serious security issue". She also tagged the Mumbai Police in her post to bring the matter to their attention.
Land of no respect
I say this not merely as an observer; but someone who has observed the hues of the flashbulbs changing. From giving respectful cues to stars to mocking senior actors and capturing C-grade vulgar starlets in the bylanes of Mumbai, the erosion of dignity and integrity is not only worrying but also hard to ignore.
In the past, there were a few (and responsible) freelance photographers in the business, and they were known to the celebs by name, and both sides had healthy respect for each other. Rani Mukherji’s daughter Adira’s picture has never been circulated because she requested the photogs to respect her privacy. Now the game has changed with hundreds of new entrants. And there are no boundaries.
The paparazzi culture in India has spiralled out of control. They thrust their multi-framed phones in front of celebrities disregarding every conceivable limit. Making a checklist of celeb names that draw eyeballs – from Jaya Bachchan to Rakhi Sawant.
Stolen privacy
Post the Princess Diana accident, the pap culture in the West has evolved and found a more mature and responsible way of dealing with celebrities. Unfortunately, India is on the brink of what could be termed as the worst phase of pap culture in our media space. A little sensitivity would go a long way into making sombre moments pleasant. The recent funeral coverage of legendary actor Dharmendra was a testament to the fact that paps have no line of control. Perhaps the tamasha at crematoriums is why the late actor Asrani told his family to announce his passing after the funeral was over. When Satish Shah passed away, cameras were on every person going in and out of the crematorium, as if to show who all attended. And there was no one to protest as his wife is an Alzheimer patient and the couple don’t have children.
Privacy is not just violated; it’s systematically stolen. And the reasoning is: We’re just doing our job. When does the camera stop being a tool and turn into a weapon? The question is whether we want a society where a person's right to privacy is up for debate and a camera can take over without any restrictions. This is a hunting ritual that pretends to be fun. And let's be honest. The crowd isn't innocent either.
We at Variety India are taking a stand. We won’t use pap pictures from hospitals, funeral service and the homes of the bereaved, on our social media handles,digital and print editions.
And no one, no matter how prominent, should be hunted. The flashbulbs and glares need a lens of humanity and dignity which is amiss in today’s cutthroat race to win the social media rat race.
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