Jaya Bachchan recalls when Amitabh Bachchan ‘lost his cool’ at photographer ‘who could have died’ trying to click newlywed Aishwarya Rai’s picture

On the latest episode of her granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda’s podcast What the Hell Navya, Jaya Bachchan recalled a harrowing incident involving the media immediately following Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s wedding in 2007. The main topic of discussion on the episode was the Bachchan family’s relationship with the press, and what living in the public eye is like.
Jaya Bachchan recalled how a photographer put himself in harm’s way just ahead of Aishwarya’s ‘griha pravesh’. Aishwarya and Abhishek’s wedding was conducted behind closed doors, and it left the barred media persons and members of the film fraternity annoyed. Jaya said that despite making arrangements for the press, so that they are able to get pictures of the newlyweds, things snowballed after the incident, and ended with the Bachchans’ property being pelted with stones.

She said, “When Mamu (Abhishek) got married, the day we were bringing Aishwarya to the house for the ‘griha pravesh’, nana (Amitabh) was driving the car. She was sitting in the car. We had created a special podium for the media, so that they could take their pictures. They were not happy. One guy jumped on the bonnet of the car. He could have died. Can you imagine? Nana lost his cool, and our security guys took these people on. the evening, media took out a ‘morcha’, and they were throwing stones.”
She continued, “Who gives you this right? And can you imagine if that guy had died what would have happened? They do it all the time. Every time we’d go out of the gate, have you seen how they jump on the car? It’s not nice. And then they’ll make another story, and something else will come out.”
Aishwarya and Abhishek tied the knot in 2007 and welcomed their daughter Aaradhya in 2011. The family has always been a paparazzi favourite, and Jaya Bachchan has developed a contentious relationship with the press. She is often photographed lashing out at photographers for following her around. A recent video showed Navya trying, and failing, to pacify her as she lost her cool at the paparazzi.