Arjun Bijlani criticizes paparazzi for insensitive coverage after Dharmendra’s death
Celebrities including Arjun Bijlani, Karan Johar, Ameesha Patel and Amitabh Bachchan criticized the paparazzi for their intrusive behaviour, while the Deol family mourned Dharmendra’s demise. The incident sparked a larger conversation about media ethics, dignity, and privacy during moments of personal grief.
Bollywood icon Dharmendra passed away at the age of 89, leaving the nation in mourning, but even before his demise, the Deol family found themselves constantly harassed by the paparazzi during their most vulnerable moments. Actor Arjun Bijlani expresses discomfort over the behavior often seen at funerals and the media frenzy that follows
in an interview with FilmygyanThe actor said, “Many people in the industry would agree with me” that it seems extremely inappropriate to constantly take photographs during a funeral and treat it like a social gathering place. He said that paparazzi come regardless of invitation and suggested the need for a designated area and strict boundaries for photographers to protect dignity during such emotional moments.
Amidst the huge focus on the Deol family, filmmaker Karan Johar also publicly expressed concern. In an earlier Instagram story, she described it as heartbreaking to see the “media circus” surrounding Dharmendra, who was battling a serious health crisis at the time. Asking for compassion, Karan wrote that the family is going through immense emotional turmoil and deserves privacy and respect at such a delicate time.
Actress Ameesha Patel also expressed the same sentiment and asked the media to step back and give the family a chance to mourn. Earlier that day, Sunny Deol got emotional at the paparazzi outside his house with folded hands and said, “You people should feel ashamed, you have parents and children in your house, you don’t feel ashamed.,
Amitabh Bachchan also expressed disappointment over the continuous intrusion into the private moments of the Deol family. Posting on X and her personal blog a day after Sunny clashed with the photographers, she wrote a cryptic but sharp message saying there were “no morals left”, describing the situation as “disturbing” and “disgusting”. His reaction came after a sad video was leaked from Dharmendra’s hospital room, which exposed a very private moment of the family.
Dharmendra died on 24 November At the age of 89. He was under constant medical supervision after being discharged from Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, where he was admitted due to prolonged illness. Despite brief signs of improvement, the great actor eventually died of his condition.
