In a stinging rebuke of modern paparazzi culture, Sara Tendulkar, daughter of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, took to Instagram Stories on May 21 to slam a photojournalist for derogatory comments regarding her appearance. The incident has reignited a debate over the toxic intersection of celebrity ‘spotting’, body-shaming, and the erosion of personal boundaries. Also read | Salman Khan loses cool at paparazzi for clicking him at hospital, warns: ‘Saath saal ka hoon, lekin ladna nahin bhoola’
It all began when Tahir Jasus posted an Instagram video of Sara Tendulkar at the airport. The video was overlaid with a Hindi caption that read: “Moti wali Sara hai, bagal wali bhabhi hai (The fat one is Sara, the woman next to her is her sister-in-law).” The ‘sister-in-law’ referenced is entrepreneur Saaniya Chandhok, who married Sara’s brother, Arjun Tendulkar, in March 2026.
‘This is not journalism’
Sara did not mince words in her response, sharing a screenshot of the post on her Instagram Stories with her millions of followers. She directly tagged the person, who calls himself a ‘journalist,’ in his Instagram bio, calling out the predatory nature of his content.
“You are disgusting. This is not ‘journalism.’ Leave. Us. Alone,” Sara wrote. Despite him later deleting the post in an apparent attempt at damage control, Sara followed up with a sharp reminder that deletion does not equal accountability. “You can delete your post, but that doesn’t make you any less disgusting,” she added, punctuated with nauseated emojis.
The rising paparazzi toxicity
This incident highlights a growing trend where ‘paparazzi’ accounts — often operating with little to no editorial oversight — rely on clickbait, objectification, and body-shaming to drive engagement. While mainstream media often focuses on fashion or travel, niche social media ‘jasus (spy)’ accounts frequently lean into derogatory commentary to provoke reactions.
Cameras are often positioned at intrusive angles, focusing on physical attributes rather than the person. As seen in Sara’s case, celebrities are subjected to body-shaming the moment they step into a public space. The ‘airport look’ culture has shifted from a mutual PR exercise to a relentless pursuit where celebrities are followed even during private moments.
Sara Tendulkar’s decision to name and shame the paparazzo can be seen as a necessary pushback against an industry that often feels ‘untouchable’. By labeling such posts as ‘not journalism’, she draws a clear line between legitimate reporting and harassment.
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