Kareena Kapoor: Sues Newspaper for Pics

NEW DELHI (India): Bollywood has expressed shock and anger at the photographs of two top actors kissing in public, which has dominated a major news story in the channels and print media.

Cinestars Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor were filmed in intimate positions, a daily tabloid said adding; they were shot in a party in a restaurant in Mumbai.

Both, however, have denied the report. Though there is general dismay about the episode in the Indian film industry, the paper which carried the pictures, stands by them and has resolved to fight the legal battle to the end.

'I haven't seen it. If you allow yourself in the photograph, there's no fault of media', said Amitabh Bachchan.

Actress-turned-politician MP Jaya Prada said; 'It is not right to take the youth of the nation in this direction. I know that Kareena is not such a girl. So, whatever she is saying, I believe that. She can't be like that.'

Actor-turned-parliamentarian Govinda said that the photographs were violation of an individual's privacy. 'It is related to women's respect. If some girl does it by her own wish, it is wrong but if someone tries to harm someone else's respect, it is wrong and immoral,' he said.

Meanwhile, Kareena has sued Mid-Day saying, that neither she nor Shahid were present in the restaurant at that time.

The Insiders

Anyhow, Film industry insiders are still fuming at the way a tabloid has shown Kareena Kapoor in an intimate situation with her boyfriend Shahid Kapur.

The pictures published by Mid-Day, and subsequently blown up on all satellite channels, have left people in the industry feeling they have to pay a big price for fame and popularity, reports Bollywood Trade.

"Being famous has its own advantages and disadvantages but like celebrities, the media also has a responsibility towards society. The manner in which the issue is being blown out of proportion is definitely in bad taste," says director Tanuja Chandra.

"On one side they are denouncing the whole incident and on the other hand they are actually subscribing to it in order to promote their television channels. It gives the impression that kissing is a phenomenon that has only just been discovered."

"Moreover, I and the rest of the people in the film fraternity are surprised that channels should stoop to giving as much as 10 minutes to such clippings when there are far more important things happening in the world," she adds.

There are others who feel that being a public figure is more of a liability than an asset.

According to celebrated photographer and video-director Jagdish Mali, he has seen a number of stars including his own daughter Antara Mali having to go through a lot of inconvenience for being a public figure.

"They lose out on all the pleasures of day-to-day life. They cannot even go to a cinema without being mobbed. Even when it comes to traveling, they are left with no other alternative other than boarding a special flight. The paparazzi are waiting for the moment to record the slightest slip-up on their part.

"I have seen stars going through nightmares when they are hounded by the media for days together for a small oversight," recalls Mali.

Kareena and Shahid maintain the pictures were morphed and that they would sue. Mid-Day has denied that it doctored the pictures.

Mid Day on Kareena story

Aakar Patel from Mid Day says; the pictures we carried of Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapur in Mid Day on Wednesday have become the biggest story in all media over the past few days.

Our intention was simply to show two young celebrities in love, unconcerned about their very public display of affection. The subsequent media storm has raised questions about the morality and ‘decency’ of the two individuals featured.

We never intended for that to happen and regret any anguish Kareena and Shahid may have undergone as a result of this.

However, Mid Day stands firmly behind the authenticity of the video footage and our right as a newspaper to carry coverage of public personas.●