Celebrity photographer and veteran paparazzi Ramakant Munde has recalled a little-known chapter in Bollywood media history, revealing that photographers once boycotted megastar Amitabh Bachchan for almost a month following an argument at a family wedding.Speaking to Hindi Rush, Munde spoke about the tensions that occasionally arose between celebrities and photographers and recounted the incident that led to the industry boycott.
“We all decided to boycott”
Munde explained that the issue arose during one of the Bachchan family’s wedding celebrations where exclusive photoshoots were allegedly done with a particular photographer or media outlet.“I am a press photographer and a freelancer. The more pictures I clicked, the more recognition and income I got. During the wedding, there were restrictions on giving someone exclusive photography rights. But we also needed photos; that’s our job,” he said.The veteran photographer recalled that media personnel used to gather outside the Bachchan residence for days, hoping to capture festive moments.
“They also threw water at the media”
Sharing details of what upset the photographers, Munde alleged that he mistreated media personnel waiting outside during the event.“We used to stay outside the bungalow. At that time, the water was put in plastic bags. The bodyguards would throw those bags to the media. Forget the snacks, the water was also given that way,” he proclaimed.According to Munde, the incident sparked resentment among photographers, who then collectively decided to stop covering Amitabh Bachchan’s public appearances.“All the photographers discussed among themselves and decided to boycott. For about a month, we didn’t click her pictures,” he said.
Silent protest at Cheeni Kum event
Munde recounted what happened when he attended the premiere of Amitabh R Balki-directed Cheeni Kum during the boycott.He recalled that photographers, including renowned photographer Pradeep Bandekar, thronged the hall but maintained complete silence when the superstar arrived.“When he entered and went up the stairs, no one called him. Usually, when Amitabh Bachchan arrived, there was a lot of excitement and the photographers would shout ‘Sir, Sir’. But that day, there was complete silence,” Munde said.The photographer revealed that Bachchan noticed the unusual atmosphere.“He reached up to where Balki was standing, said something to him, then turned around and looked at us before going inside,” he recalled.
A rare chapter in Bollywood’s paparazzi history
While Munde clarified that he has always had a good relationship with Amitabh Bachchan and has worked with him on several photoshoots over the years, he described the boycott as one of the few instances where photographers took a collective stand.The incident remains one of the most talked-about stories among veteran entertainment photographers, highlighting the occasionally strained relationship between celebrities and the media long before the era of social media and today’s paparazzi culture.
