Jaya Bachchan and the paparazzi have often been at loggerheads, with the veteran actor openly expressing her displeasure at being followed and photographed during her outings in Mumbai. As preparations get underway for Durga Puja 2026, fans are eager to see the Mukerji family, including Rani Mukerji, Kajol and Ayan Mukerji, at the North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja at SNDT Ground in Juhu.
Jaya Bachchan regularly visits the Durga Puja pandal organised by the Mukerji family. This year, Kajol’s sister and actor Tanishaa Mukerji has a special request for the paparazzi, asking them not to trouble Jaya.
Tanishaa Mukerji asks media not to trouble Jaya Bachchan
During a press conference held in Mumbai on Friday, Tanishaa urged the paparazzi and the public to maintain decorum at the pandal. She said, “There’s going to be a lot more footfall, so I definitely request everybody in the media and the public to please take care of each other. Don’t forget that there is humanity. Don’t forget that there is humanity because a lot of people push, especially to go to the pandal and all, so just be careful and take care of each other.”
Tanishaa also joked, “Don’t trouble our Jaya aunty this time. Y’all are troubling her a lot; please don’t trouble her. Aap log bahut badmash ho, kuch aapke photographers joh purposely jaa ke chabi lagate hai. Mat karo humari Puja mein please. (Some of you puposely provoke her. Don’t do this during our puja).”
Earlier, the Durga Puja celebrations were organised by Ayan Mukerji’s father, Deb Mukerji. Following his death in 2025, the next generation of the family has taken over the festivities.
‘My relationship with the paparazzi is zero’
In a 2025 conversation with Mojo Story, Jaya spoke about her dislike of paparazzi culture. She called herself a “product of the media” because her father, Tarun Kumar Bhaduri, was a journalist. However, she admitted that she did not understand the paparazzi culture.
She had said, “My relationship with the media is fantastic. I’m the product of the media, but my relationship with the paparazzi is zero. Who are these people? Are they trained to represent the people of this country? You call them media? I come from the media. My father was a journalist. I have immense respect for such people. Magar ye jo bahar draine-pipe tight gande gande pant pahen ke haath me mobile leke (But these guys who wear tight, dirty drain-pipe pants and carry a mobile phone in their hand)…they think they have a mobile in their hand so they can take your picture?”