Viral Bhayani is one of the most well-renowned paparazzi that Bollywood has seen. Alongside the likes of Manav Manglani, Yogen Shah, Varinder Chawla, and a few others, Viral Bhayani has managed to make a name that not only celebs reckon with, but even audiences religiously follow him. From every minute detail about which celeb was spotted where throughout B-Town, Viral Bhayani has been giving updates to billions of people across the globe who're interested in knowing about their favourite celeb's everyday outdoor activities.
With the paparazzi culture having grown in leaps and bounds over the past two decades, it's people like Viral Bhayani who click, circulate and supply these much-in-demand photographs to numerous websites, blogs and news organizations. While many think that their job is quite an easy one as they've to just click pictures throughout the day, but a little conversation with Viral Bhayani reveals the unheard-of problems and troubles that these paps have to go through on an everyday basis.
Recently a video of Jaya Bachchan went viral all over social media where she was allegedly heard being a bit rude to the shutterbugs clicking her pictures at a public event. She isnt the first one to have done this. There have been scores of celebs who have, at times, rebuked these photogs. While many from the paps have been shouted back by the celebs for having crossed a line, there have been many who have always taken care of these camera people. After all, the paparazzi need celebs as much as the celebs need paparazzi.
Talking to Prateek Sur from Outlook, Viral Bhayani gets candid and reveals some insights into the business of paparazzi. Excerpts:
When celebs react badly to you or your team, what's your reaction? Do you boycott them? Or do you get an apology from the celebs later or their team?
To be honest, it's a two-way street. It all depends on a person's mood. For example, when you call me up for an interview, if I am too busy and am not able to give you an interview, it doesn't mean that I am rude, or I am shrewd, or I am abusive, or I am acting pricey, or I have an attitude problem. So, it has to be understood from both sides. Everyone is a human being. For example, a few days back, there was a big actor, and his security guard broke one of our flashes. A flash comes for around Rs 40,000. What should I do, then? Should I call him up and pick a fight? No. So, what do you do? You move on. Our work is not a very sophisticated one where we go to an office, or we sit down. Ours is a very hard-core job. It is a rough and tough profession, and therefore, you've to take care of yourself.
What's the worst that you think can happen?
It can cost a person's life. For example, if you're running behind someone's car. Recently, we were all at Ananya Panday's house, and one person got injured. You can't sue her, right? You were the one who went behind her, and if in that process, the car tripped you or something, you can't blame the celeb for that. Many a time, the celeb's security pushes us away. If you trip and fall and hurt your head badly, there is a possibility that you might instantly die on the spot. You might go to the court later on and even there it might be said that the security pushed the person, but the celeb can't be blamed, right? They went on and didn't even know that unknowingly their car or their security did this. So, you've to understand the perspective of what happened.
What about when celebs are rude to your face?
If you feel any celeb is very rude or is perennially in a bad mood, then you avoid those celebs. It's not that their houses are running because of you, and neither is it the other way around. If there is any hatred coming from any celeb, we will simply avoid them. Or maybe we might talk to their managers and discuss that if the celeb is not comfortable, then let us know. Instead of doing this boycott or creating any drama over it, it's better to talk it over and sort it out. It's a give-and-take. When that celeb's movie is about to release, they will invariably call us during promotions, right? We all are criminals in that sense. We all are professionals, and we all need content, and we need visibility. So everything is interlinked.
But do you leave when the celeb asks you not to click?
Yes, there are celebs like Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, who've requested us not to click of their kid, and we respect that. So, people need to get into the other person's shoes and understand what's the logic. Also, it's not that there is a dearth of celebs. Every day there are like 20-25 new heroines coming up, and many of them tell us to give them chance (to be featured on our pages, etc), and not support nepotism.
Also, you guys must be getting a lot of masala, like celebs caught in extramarital affairs, etc...
Yes, we do get it. But let me tell you honestly, there is so much depression, that we all as human beings need to be very careful. You should never make your life or your career by destroying someone else's. So, one has to be very careful in what they say, what they put out, etc. Even in the smallest of things people take it to their heart. Today, if we don't tag anyone on our posts, they feel disheartened. We are living in a generation where if you don't have a blue tick on your social media, you don't get sleep at night. So, all that matters when you're so successful.
Who gives you the maximum traffic?
In today's times, our houses are running primarily because of Rakhi Sawant. And she is giving us content.
But what about the other's pics and the monetization?
It's an era of monetization and only that would sell what audiences like. Urfi Javed is not my friend, or she is not paying me any money, that I will be sharing her content so much. Urfi Javed is what people want. I am sharing it right from my heart because I know the public loves her, and they want to see more content of hers. Another thing is that people love to do negative comments. Who is going to post negative comments on a post of Shah Rukh Khan? There, people will be praising the celeb full on. But when it comes to writing negative comments, then whom do they come for? Urfi Javed. So, these things have to be understood.
People always feel that it's easy to work as a photographer. Wha are some of the major difficulties and problems you face in your profession?
Lots of legalities are there. Lot of problems we face from the celeb's security. And then there is the danger of losing one's life. Anything can happen at any instant. I have personally fallen so many times. I had a very bad fall once right in front of Shraddha Kapoor.
Lastly, are there celebs who're always upfront and treat you'll very well? We keep seeing Kartik Aaryan's funny banters with you guys quite often…
There are a few, who are very very good. After all, everyone is there to get their work done, and it's quite a selfish world. But, when there is a problem, there are really good people also. They all try to help us. Whenever they get to know, and if there is some problem that we are facing, they always try to help. If they don't get to know only, then they don't. Even during Covid-19, a lot of actors came out and supported us. Everyone had helped us out monetarily.
