Indian actress Zareen Khan has publicly criticised the growing trend among paparazzi to capture female celebrities in an inappropriate and intrusive manner, calling the behaviour “insulting” and “morally undesirable”.
In a recent interview, the actress said the paparazzi culture has changed significantly in recent years, with some photographers deliberately zooming in on specific parts of a woman’s body.
“I am not saying all photographers do this, but many focus their cameras on places where it is absolutely unnecessary,” she said. “It is worrying and vile the way women are being portrayed.”
Known for her work in Bollywood and regional cinema, including films in Punjabi, Telugu and Tamil, Zareen Khan made her debut in Salman Khan’s Veer and gained further recognition in Housefull 2, Hate Story 2 and Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele. She remains a familiar name, especially for her portrayal of Princess Yashodhara Singh in Veer.
Reflecting on the current media landscape, Khan said celebrities are recognised by their faces, not body parts. “Are you showing a picture of a waist or back and asking the public to guess who the person is?” she asked, in a pointed critique of paparazzi practices.
Her remarks come amid increasing concern over the treatment of female celebrities by the media. In recent months, actresses including Janhvi Kapoor, Shanaya Kapoor, Neha Bhasin, Rashmi Desai, Mona Singh, Ayesha Khan and former Miss World Manushi Chillar have all spoken out about feeling uncomfortable due to photographers capturing them from behind or from inappropriate angles. Many described the experience as anxiety-inducing and demeaning.
Zareen Khan further stated that these videos, which often go viral on social media, no longer serve to entertain but instead provoke public disgust. “At first I thought that maybe the virality of these clips was the reason behind such coverage,” she said. “But now even the public has started to find this content vulgar and unpleasant.”
During a recent public event, the actress directly confronted photographers for taking pictures from behind. Dressed in a lemon-coloured kurti with jeans and traditional earrings, she initially greeted the press but swiftly turned around, gesturing toward her waist and saying: “Look at me, don’t show that.”
Her reaction, which was captured on video, has since been widely shared online and has drawn both support and reflection from viewers, many of whom echoed her sentiments.
Khan’s forthright stance is part of a growing pushback against sensationalist and invasive media practices. While she clarified that not all media professionals are guilty of such behaviour, she stressed the need for introspection and reform. “This kind of behaviour is not only insulting—it’s a form of harassment,” she added.
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