Subhash K Jha (DNA; December 11, 2013)

Dear RK,

I believe on Thursday night both you and Ayan were out to have a gala time at a suburban restaurant in Mumbai. Which is a good thing. After all, hard working boys like you two must find the time to chill. I understand your need to whoop it up away from prying eyes. What I don’t understand is your compulsion to bully a photographer who took your pictures while you left the eatery.

You took away the poor journalist’s video camera and drove away into the night. I can just imagine the two of you doing a high-five and chuckling at your priceless prank as you drove away. Yup, you taught the bloke a lesson.

He, poor fellow, must have been defecating bricks on that crowded road as he must have stood stunned by your...errm, prank. Let me explain. That camera is that journalist’s livelihood. It’s bread, and no butter applicable. You wouldn’t understand, you are a pampered rich filmy kid. But that poor journalist’s entire life must have flashed by in front of his eyes, as you drove away with his most precious belonging.

What was the guy doing? Taking your pictures? And why must he be punished for doing his job? Do you know the pressures that photo-journalists on television channels work under? They’re told to deliver scoopy snaps, sensational pics, sting-type visuals. And if they don’t they are threatened they’d be fired. While you are partying at 4 am inside a nightclub, he is working. Waiting for you outside, without probably having dinner or a drink of water.

It’s like, do or die. But I don’t expect you two to understand. Intoxicated as you must have been on more levels than one, what with your recent successes. But think about what your behaviour must have done to that photo-journalist’s morale.

One question bothers me. Why were you so outraged to be clicked with Ayan? It’s not as if Katrina was with you!

Sincerely yours
Subhash K Jha

Bharati Dubey (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 7, 2013)

Ranbir Kapoor seems to have hit upon a novel way of dealing with the paparazzi; simply take away their cameras. The actor along with pals Ayan Mukerji and Aarti Shetty, stepped out of a Bandra hotspot late on Thursday night and there was a gaggle of cameras outside as usual.

One of the TV camerapersons allegedly gave chase to the trio and then, the actor who has often spoken about his dislike for intruding cameras, allegedly lost his cool and a skirmish ensued.

An eye witness said, “Ranbir told the gathered photographers, ‘Chalo chase karo, race karo’. A TV cameraperson then blocked the path of Ranbir’s car with his own vehicle. Ranbir then stepped out and so did the cameraman who started shooting again.” What happened next surprised all. “Ranbir was really angry by now. He snatched away the camera saying ‘Kya shoot kiya hai, dikha’. He refused to hand the camera back to him and told him, ‘Apne boss ko bol mere ghar se le jayega’,” added the eye witness. So where is the object, which was at the centre of the friction, now?

 A source added, “The entertainment editor of channel spoke to the actor in the morning after which an official from the channel was sent to collect the camera.”