Jaya Bachchan's ‘gande gande pants’ comments for paparazzi draws netizen backlash: ‘Arrogance at its peak…’
In another episode of Jaya Bachchan vs. paps, the actor's remarks about the paparazzi, mocking their clothes, has stirred a storm online
As the year winds down, actor and MP Jaya Bachchan has once again found herself in the spotlight. Speaking to journalist Barkha Dutt at the We The Women event in Mumbai yesterday, the veteran actor made some strong comments about photographers and their conduct, sparking widespread criticism online.
“I am the product of the media…”
In her conversation with Barkha, the 77-year-old actor acknowledged that she owes her fame to the media but drew a clear line between traditional journalism and today’s paparazzi culture. “I am the product of the media, but my relationship with paparazzi is zero. Who are these people? Are they trained to represent the people of this country? You call them media? I come from the media. My father was a journalist. I have tremendous respect for such people,” she said.
Jaya, who has long expressed her discomfort with intrusive photographers, didn’t hold back as she described them as untrained and disrespectful. “But ye jo bahar drain-pipe type gande gande pants pehen kar, haath me mobile le ke. They think just because they have a mobile, they can take your picture and say what they want and the kind of comments they pass,” she said.
She further questioned the professionalism of the photographers, saying, “Aap log photo lo, badtameezi mat karo. Chup raho, munh band rakho, photo lo khatam. Upar se comments karte rahte ho.”
Social media backlash
The remarks quickly drew flak online, with many accusing Bachchan of classism and arrogance. ANI journalist Smita Prakash called out her statements on X, saying, “Apologies but you do not ‘come from media’ just because your father was a journalist. Only he qualifies to be ‘from the media’. And if the photographer is wearing ‘drainpipe pants’, he is still doing his job. Your snobbery is shameful.”
Netizens echoed the sentiment. One user wrote, “Frankly, all media need to boycott her. She can live in the peace she claims to seek. People will not have to see her irritating videos in their feed.” Another commented, “By that logic, if a father was a pilot, his child should be allowed in the cockpit. The audacity to judge a worker’s clothes while claiming unearned credentials is wild.” Others expressed disappointment at her tone. “Who is cheering for this? She’s berating people who are just trying to make a living,” one person posted. Another said, “Every time Jaya Bachchan talks about ‘the media,’ it feels less like a critique and more like a personal allergy acting up.”
Other comments claimed, “Who is cheering for this? She's berating people who are just trying to make a living for their families, and someone finds this amusing?” One more comment summed up netizen sentiments saying, “Arrogance at its peak…”.
A long history of clashes
This isn’t the first time Jaya has made headlines for her distaste toward the paparazzi. Over the years, she’s been caught on camera chastising photographers at airports, events, and even family gatherings. Common refrains like “Don’t misbehave,” “Keep your mouth shut,” and “Aapko sharam nahi aati hai?” have become synonymous with her interactions with the press. Her latest remarks do nothing but echo her long-standing stance on the paparazzi, which netizens are slowly but surely growing tired of.
