At ‘We The Women’ event in Mumbai earlier this week, Jaya Bachchan expressed her displeasure with the paparazzi as she said, “Yeh gande gande pant pehen ke, mobile leke [aa jaate hai]… They think that because they have a mobile, they can take your picture, say what they want. The kind of comments they pass!” While the senior actor’s sharp comments were deemed as “elitist” by several industry voices, the issue has now escalated further. Some of Bollywood’s paparazzi agencies are preparing to file a formal complaint with the Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) against the veteran actor’s remarks. They are said to be in discussions before submitting their official complaint.

Bachchan’s statements, where she questioned the background and attire of paparazzi, have left many in the community feeling demeaned, with some photo syndicates considering boycotting her. Speaking to mid-day, Manav Manglani, who runs an entertainment photo syndicate of about 20 stringers, said, “She doesn’t want to be clicked; we won’t click her. Jayaji is not someone who gets eyeballs anyway. If she is with her family and wishes to pose happily, then we may [photograph her].”