For Riteish Deshmukh, a seemingly ordinary moment outside a Mumbai restaurant turned into a reminder that kindness can come from the most unexpected places. The actor recently recalled how a paparazzo he had never met before stepped in to help him when he was trying to buy something from a child but realised he had no cash on him.Riteish said the child was selling something for Rs 100, but he was unable to pay because, like many people today, he had stopped carrying cash. “We were walking out, and there was a child who was selling something for Rs 100. You have become so cashless today… I wasn’t carrying money. Now, I don’t carry money because everything is digital,” he said.He first turned to his chauffeur and asked, “Sau rupaye chhutta hai kya?” (Do you have a change of Rs 100?) but was told that he didn’t have any. Riteish then asked the child if he could accept a digital payment, assuming he might have a QR code. However, the child replied, “GPay nahin hai mere paas” (I don’t have GPay).With no immediate way to make the payment, a paparazzo nearby offered to step in. Riteish recalled that he could have simply walked away, but that would have meant the child would not get the money he wanted to give him.“And it was so nice of one paparazzo, whose name I didn’t know, but now, I know, his name is Sushil Mohite, if I’m not wrong, but if I’m wrong, then I’m very sorry. He said, ‘Main deta hoon’ (I will give),” Riteish recalled.What followed was a typical Mumbai street scene, with cars honking and paparazzi crowding around the actor. Riteish tried to get Sushil’s GPay details so he could reimburse him, but the photographer brushed it off, telling him, “Nahin, rehne do” (No, let it go).Riteish was unable to locate him again in the commotion, so he quickly clicked a picture of the paparazzo before getting into his car. Once inside, he discussed the situation with his wife Genelia Deshmukh and admitted that he had no idea how he could get in touch with Sushil.He eventually decided to turn to social media for help. “So then I just posted on my story saying, ‘I owe him. I need to pay him back.’ And finally, in fact I got his number,” he said.Riteish managed to contact Sushil, thanked him for stepping in and insisted on returning the Rs 100. Although the paparazzo initially said he did not want the money back, Riteish said he went ahead with the transaction because he felt it was something he owed him.For the actor, however, the incident was never really about the amount. Instead, it was Sushil’s spontaneous gesture that left an impression on him. Riteish said celebrities often see paparazzi through the lens of their profession, but their interactions can sometimes reveal a different side.“It was the kindness that the pap showed where he wanted to pay for me. It’s always chaotic, getting in and out on the road, and the paps are doing their job. We always think that they are probably wanting our pictures and they are in need. But we don’t realise that there are moments when they step up to help you,” he said.Genelia also acknowledged that the couple has experienced such support from paparazzi on several occasions. “And we’ve always had that. Always,” she said.Riteish ended the story by pointing out the irony of the situation with a laugh. While celebrities are often accused of paying paparazzi for publicity, this time, he found himself on the receiving end.“People always say that you’re paying paps. I was the one who got paid by them.”
