Salman Khan is drawing a sharper boundary between the publicity machine and personal comfort. On the first episode of Koffee With Karan Season 9, the actor returned to a topic that had already set social media alight: photographers who take awkward, unwelcome pictures of celebrities and then share them without consent.
What he said on Koffee With Karan
Host Karan Johar praised him for speaking up about the paparazzi. Salman explained that since PR culture arrived, some celebrities choose to pay for sightings, airport looks and similar coverage. He said that was not the group he meant to call out. “I was speaking for those people who don’t want it,” he said. “There are really bad angles, and girls are uncomfortable.”
He also joked that he would like to meet whoever decided to attach a camera to a mobile phone. The actor suggested that when every hand carries a camera, the boundary around a person becomes much harder to protect.
The Bigg Boss warning that started it
The conversation follows his September outburst on Bigg Boss, where he told photographers to distinguish between actors who are fine with certain shots and those who have clearly asked to be left alone. He specifically called out pictures taken from behind, saying many actresses do not like them.
After that warning, several industry voices, including Farah Khan, asked paparazzi to avoid such images. The moment quickly turned into a wider discussion about consent in celebrity coverage.
Why this matters for celebrity-watchers
For readers who follow airport looks, launch appearances and red-carpet moments, the line Salman is drawing matters. It separates two very different worlds that often get merged in one feed:
- Staged or paid sightings: the celebrity chooses the moment, outfit and angle, and the coverage is part of the publicity plan.
- Candid paparazzi shots: the subject has little control and may not have wanted the photograph at all.
- Invasive angles: pictures taken from positions that can make actors, especially women, feel unsafe or embarrassed.
The difference is consent. A star serving a look at the airport is not the same as someone being followed for an awkward photo outside a car or while simply walking. When the subject is participating, coverage can feel like fun. When they are not, the same chase can slide from entertainment into intrusion.
What happens next
Salman’s remarks are unlikely to end Bollywood’s paparazzi culture, but they add one of the industry’s biggest voices to an ongoing conversation. His request is simple: photographers should be able to tell the difference between someone who wants the camera and someone who is just trying to get through the day.
Koffee With Karan Season 9 episodes drop every Wednesday at 7 PM on JioHotstar.
Source: Hindustan Times
Comments