Jaya Bachchan faces backlash after “gande pant” jab
Bollywood’s latest drama is unfolding off-screen, and it’s got everything: clashing egos, generational tension, and a family legacy hanging in the balance.
Veteran actress and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan has once again stirred the pot – this time with a scathing dismissal of the paparazzi, whom she branded as unkempt, untrained, and unworthy of the title “media.” At a recent public event, when asked about her notoriously frosty rapport with photographers, she didn’t hold back: “Who are these people? Are they trained to represent this country?”
She went on, painting a vivid (and unflattering) picture: “Yeh jo bahar drainpipe tight, gande gande pant pehen ke, haath mein mobile leke... they think that because they have a mobile, they can take your picture and say what they want.”
Ouch.
That “gande pant” comment, now viral, has ignited fury among some of Mumbai’s most influential paparazzi, who argue that they’re not just fly-on-the-wall snappers but essential players in the Bollywood ecosystem – especially for the Bachchan family.
Enter the Paps’ counterattack
Powerhouse shutterbugs like Pallav Paliwal, Manav Manglani, Viral Bhayani, and Varinder Chawla have fired back – hard.
Paliwal hit where it hurts: Agastya Nanda, Jaya’s grandson and the family’s newest star, is set to debut in the film Ikkis. “If we boycott coverage,” Paliwal warned, “who’ll promote his film when no paps show up on set or at events?” He reminded everyone that it’s the paparazzi – not mainstream media – who faithfully document Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic Sunday morning fan greetings outside Prateeksha. “Aap itni badi hasti hain,” he chided, “aisa nahi bolna chahiye tha.”
Manglani, while expressing “deep respect” for Jaya, suggested she might be out of touch: “Perhaps she hasn’t evolved with the digital era. Maybe her kids or grandkids can help bridge the gap.”
Meanwhile, Bhayani’s team fired an emotional salvo: “Hum bhi insaan hain” – “We’re human too.” They stressed they’ve never insulted any celebrity and work tirelessly, often in harsh conditions, to deliver the content fans crave.
Varinder Chawla took a more nuanced stance. Recalling how he once withheld a video of a sharp-tongued Big B in Delhi – out of respect for the star’s PR team – he insisted paparazzi do exercise restraint. But he questioned whether Jaya was conflating ethical photographers with rogue YouTubers and overeager fans. “Kisi ko aise bura mat boliye,” he urged. “Don’t speak so harshly about anyone.”
The fallout
The rift has escalated into an unofficial paparazzi boycott of the Bachchan family – a rare and risky move in an industry that thrives on visibility.
And it couldn’t come at a worse time. With Agastya Nanda’s debut approaching, the absence of pap coverage could mean fewer street buzz shots, quieter red carpets, and diminished organic hype –something even Bollywood royalty can’t fully control with Instagram alone.
Jaya, of course, stands by her words, citing her journalist father and her “immense respect for real media.” But in today’s landscape – where social media is media, and paps double as influencers – her old-school stance may be playing out of tune.
One thing’s clear: in the court of public opinion, even legends aren’t immune to backlash. And in the fight between legacy and lens, everyone’s watching to see who blinks first.