Dharmendra health scare: Bollywood paparazzo says ‘can’t use the washroom for hours’ in mad scramble for viral shot

Dubai: The sun beats down on a barricaded hospital gate in Mumbai. Fifty cameras are trained on the entrance, fingers twitching over shutters, WhatsApp groups buzzing with unverified “scoops.” Inside lies veteran Bollywood legend Dharmendra, and outside, India’s celebrity photographers are living their toughest day on the job.

“Some of my guys can’t even use the washroom for hours,” says Viral Bhayani, the country’s most recognisable paparazzo, based in Mumbai. “There were at least 50 paps stationed outside. Everyone wanted that one frame — a family member rushing in, a doctor walking out, anything. It’s madness.”

But this chaos isn’t just about photos anymore — it’s about speed, credibility, and survival in an age of clickbait.

“Yesterday, a source told a big media house that Dharmendra had died,” Bhayani recalls. “And boom — everyone jumped on it. No one checked. I had to tell my team, pause, verify, then post. It’s not easy to fact-check in real time, but credibility comes first.”

So when reports surfaced that the actor had been discharged and seen leaving the hospital in an ambulance, Bhayani didn’t rush.

“I stationed one part of my team outside the hospital and another near his home. Only when the home team confirmed he’d arrived safely did we post. That’s how seriously we take it. One wrong post, and your reputation’s gone.”

Mumbai Police have since set up barricades to manage the frenzy.

“It’s a bit more organised now,” Bhayani says. “But these are the hardest days. You’re dealing with human emotions and a million people waiting for updates. One mistake, and it’s over.”

From outcasts to insiders

The Dharmendra incident shines a light on how India’s paparazzi culture has evolved from shadowy tabloid hunters to a critical arm of Bollywood’s publicity machine.

According to a report published in AFP, India’s celebrity-hunting photographers have gone from “outcasts” to industry insiders. “We were considered outcasts,” recalls Manav Manglani, one of the earliest paparazzi photographers, told AFP.

Manglani remembers climbing a tree at Shilpa Shetty’s wedding in 2009 just to get a few clear shots over the wall. Fifteen years later, he commands a 20-member team spread across Mumbai, pushing out celebrity content to over 6.5 million Instagram followers.

“We’re part of the system now,” he says. “We get tips from PRs, gyms, cafes, airports. The city’s divided into zones — there’s even someone stationed at the airport full-time.”

The result? A well-oiled, fast-moving network that feeds India’s insatiable appetite for celebrity updates.

‘We’re important now’

“Being an influencer ourselves, we help promote movies, OTT shows, and brands,” says Manglani. “We’re important now.”

It’s a mutually beneficial system. Former publicist Mandvi Sharma, who once managed Shah Rukh Khan’s media relations, told AFP the relationship between stars and shutterbugs has grown symbiotic.

“It’s co-dependent,” she explains. “Younger actors need visibility; the paps need content. Everyone benefits — until something goes wrong.”

And when it does, people like Bhayani bear the brunt. “A decade ago, I’d have to beg for invites or information,” he laughs. “Now, we’re being called everywhere. From being thrown out of events to becoming an official part of the PR plan — that’s a big shift.”

Credibility over chaos

Still, amid the flashing lights and the thirst for virality, Bhayani insists the core rule hasn’t changed: get the truth first.

“Social media can make or break you overnight,” he says. “So I tell my team: get the shot, yes, but don’t get it wrong. We’re documenting, not distorting.”

The Dharmendra health scare, he admits, was a reminder of the thin line they walk daily — between journalism and intrusion, between hustle and humanity.

“People call us insensitive, but we’re human too,” Bhayani says.

“We don’t storm private spaces. We document what’s in the public eye. The same people who troll us would be hitting refresh if we weren’t there.”

And through it all, Bhayani’s mantra holds:
“In the age of viral news, credibility isn’t old-school — it’s survival.”