Veteran Bollywood actress Neetu Kapoor’s brief but pointed exchange with paparazzi has brought fresh attention to a long-standing issue in the industry: photographers capturing intrusive pictures of actresses from behind, commonly referred to as ‘back shots’. The incident has reignited a debate previously raised by actress Neha Dhupia and actor Salman Khan.
The episode unfolded on Sunday when Neetu Kapoor was spotted outside an establishment in the city. As photographers gathered to take her pictures, one of them specifically asked her to pose for a photo of her back while she was walking towards her car. In response, Neetu shot back with a sarcastic remark, asking the photographers, “Apko ya bada accha lagta hai na, ‘back’?” (You really like the ‘back shot’, don’t you?) The photographers denied the implication, and the actress got into her car without further comment, ending the brief but telling interaction.
Neha Dhupia’s Earlier Stand Against the Practice
Neetu Kapoor is not the first Bollywood personality to publicly push back against this practice. Neha Dhupia had earlier confronted photographers at an awards event in Mumbai, directly calling out the behaviour. She asked, “Yeh badtameezi se backshot kaun leta hai tum logon mein se? Band karo” (Who is taking these disrespectful back shots? Stop it), making it evident that she found the practice disrespectful towards women. Dhupia clarified that her objection was not limited to her own experience but was a broader statement on behalf of women in the industry, noting that celebrities had repeatedly asked photographers to stop such behaviour, only to see it continue.
The issue also received strong backing from Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, who addressed it during an episode of Bigg Boss 20. Khan referenced Dhupia’s stance and encouraged women who felt uncomfortable with such photography to speak out against it. He went a step further, suggesting that if a photographer persisted in taking such pictures after being asked to stop, women should respond by slapping them. Khan termed the practice “disgusting” and questioned the intent behind it.
Neetu Kapoor’s recent remark adds to a growing list of voices within the Bollywood community calling attention to this form of paparazzi intrusion, highlighting an ongoing concern among actresses about respect and boundaries in public spaces.
Source: Mathrubhumi English
