Gym fits, airport looks, leaving a restaurant, visiting a friend, or even attending a funeral — if you're a celebrity in Mumbai, the paparazzi are always close by. It’s now common knowledge that these photographers don’t just show up randomly; they’re often summoned to capture these moments because, in showbiz, visibility is the key to staying relevant.

But what does it cost to keep the buzz alive? According to a well-placed source, “Between Viral Bhayani, Manav Manglani, Instant Bollywood, Voompla, and others, packages range from ₹25,000 per post to ₹3-to-5 lakhs for a retainer, depending on the celebrity.”

The older generation of stars may steer clear of such orchestrated moments, but the current lot  are heavily invested. Whether it's interacting with fans ahead of their Diwali film releases or strategically applying finishing touches from their own makeup brand en route to pose for paparazzi photos, these emerging actors are making a concerted effort to be seen. These planned encounters, as casual as they may seem, are critical for maintaining their visibility during quiet stretches between projects.

This isn’t breaking news; it’s been an open secret that celebrities pay to keep their images circulating. However, what’s new is that some younger stars are allegedly going a step further — paying photographers to catch their peers in less flattering moments. “Actors are now paying to have other actors photographed at their worst,” said a source close to the industry. “It’s largely driven by insecurity.”

This entire ecosystem exists because of the demand. Netizens consume this content, doom-scrolling through every staged sighting and “candid” moment, while celebrities spend heavily to maintain their relevance — whether it’s a routine visit to their under-construction home or supporting a former partner through a difficult time. The real winners here? The paparazzi. “It’s easy money,” said a prominent photographer. In fact, he claimed that Bollywood’s obsession with visibility has made him “one of the highest taxpayers in the country”.

For context, according to reports, this year’s highest tax-paying celebrity in India was 

, who paid ₹92 crore. While the exact earnings of Mumbai’s paparazzi remain unverified, the income generated through this celebrity photography business is significant. Photographers can receive 10 to 15 calls a day for staged sightings, with as little as 15 minutes' notice before a planned appearance. Out of these, only a small percentage involve true A-listers — approximately 5 to 10 per cent. As for airport sightings, top paparazzi players have a crew stationed at the airport seven days a week, for 8 to 10 hours a day, knowing that each airport look is a guaranteed headline grabber.

New Rules of Bollywood's Paparazzi Game

In July, when Aamir Khan announced that he was bringing his comedy 

 to his pay-per-view movie channel on YouTube for ₹100, it shook the industry. Those in support hailed the superstar for his revolutionary move, which not only attempted to give creators more liberty and power but also take control away from streamers.

The detractors, however, said dropping a film digitally, even PVOD (premium video on demand, where a viewer has to pay for early access) just 41 days after a theatrical release would discourage viewers from going to cinemas. It was billed as the ultimate cardinal sin for the film industry.

Bollywood's Cardinal Sins: Industry Leaders Discuss Theatrical-To-Streaming Window, Poor Marketing and Sky-High Ticket Prices

There’s going to be a showdown at the box office between 

 this Diwali. It’s shaping up to be fierce, with both films jockeying for prime screen space and the ultimate bragging rights. When titans collide, the true casualty is often the bottom line for both films. As such, the trade isn’t concerned about who takes the crown — film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi puts it plainly: “Honestly, it’s better for us if films don’t clash at the box office. When they do, they risk cannibalising each other’s earnings.” The Diwali box office is a battlefield, fuelled by the egos of actors and directors, each determined to claim a larger slice of the pie.

 knows these Diwali duels all too well; he has a storied history of facing off against fellow stars — and often coming out on the losing end. The last time he claimed victory was back in 2010 with

. Since then, it’s been a series of defeats, with 

 in 2022. His  luck with Diwali releases has been anything but stellar.

This time around, he’s leading a star-studded ensemble in

, which boasts names like Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arjun Kapoor and Tiger Shroff. And if one is already out of breath reading that list, rumour has it that Salman Khan might make a cameo as the iconic Inspector Chulbul Pandey from the 

series. Throw in the overlay of Ramayana on 

 and you’ve got a recipe for potential box-office fireworks. “With this Ramayana parallel, Rohit is selling [his film]to the cheap seats,” said a source.

Could 2024, then, finally be the year Devgn breaks his Diwali dry spell?

 as the clear front-runner, one should not underestimate 

. The last instalment,  which grossed ₹266.88 crore worldwide, did wonders for Bollywood at a time when hits were few and far between. This time around, they’ve upped the ante by bringing back Vidya Balan (the original Manjulika), along with Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri — the 'it' girl of the moment.

, Aaryan even pulled a Tom Holland as he let slip that he filmed an alternate climax with Kiara Advani, the star of 

, he believes there’s enough room for both films to shine. Yet, the trade isn’t exactly thrilled, “In 2024, we have seen fewer tentpole films than usual. The big-ticket films usually keep theatres afloat even during the slow days. But with a clash like this, the screens get divided. When screens are split, so are ticket sales. In a nation where many can’t afford to splurge on two films in one weekend, audiences often have to choose,” said a film distributor.

Rathi adds that while a showdown might create a spike in attendance,  a staggered release could have kept theatres bustling for longer.

“This isn’t merely about footfalls on the weekend of the release. Success will ultimately hinge on whether the content resonates with audiences and garners positive word of mouth,” he said.

According to industry insiders, the days when success depended on quality content are long gone. As one source put it, “In Bollywood, ‘good content’ often takes a backseat to star power.” Both films have already locked in substantial non-theatrical deals before even rolling out their promotional campaigns. According to a 

has allegedly secured a non-theatrical deal worth ₹135 crores, while 

is worth  ₹200 crores. A source within the industry confirmed that these figures are fairly accurate, though there is some speculation about the robustness of these deals. “When major contracts are signed without a single trailer in sight, it’s evident that the focus has shifted from quality to sheer marketability. Today, you don’t need to make a good film to make a hit film,” another insider told 

 will come out on top. With a savvy distribution strategy reportedly securing 60 per cent of the screens through PVR Inox Pictures and a strong appeal to family audiences — especially since 

 is likely to get an ‘A’ rating — Devgn’s latest could well give the competition a run for its money.

This Diwali, Will Ajay Devgn Once Again Channel His Duel Personality?

 was released on September 5, and is on its way to becoming the third highest-grossing Indian film of the year, after 

. A week before its release, the film’s producer Archana Kalpathi made headlines when she confirmed in an interview that the superstar had charged ₹200 crore, exclusive of the goods and services tax. Adding that the film’s total budget was ₹400 crore, she said, “A star’s salary is proportional to the box-office revenue they generate. Our production house doesn’t factor in the money that comes from OTT, satellite, and other language rights. We believe a film should recover the costs and more during its theatrical run.”

This has made Vijay the highest-paid actor in Tamil cinema. But it didn’t take too long for the record to be broken with the announcement of his next film, tentatively titled 

. A day after this announcement, X (formerly Twitter) was abuzz with reports that suggest that his new fee is a shocking ₹275 crore ($32 million), exclusive of GST. This means that his fee is more than what Robert Downey Jr. was paid for 

 (2019), which was at the time of its release, the highest-grossing film ever. As for his fans, the fee seems fully plausible to them, given that it’s reportedly the star’s last film before he enters politics.  

But is this fee justified? Does it make him the highest-paid Asian actor today? An industry insider reveals that the claims of his salary is “unfounded for now”, adding that “in the interview, Kalpathi admits that 

 was made at a cost of ₹400 crore, and she does not deny it when the interviewer states that Vijay’s fee was ₹200 crore. She does imply it and adds that his market has grown by a huge margin since she last worked with him.” 

The source goes on to say that it is presently not feasible for a star to charge that high a fee. “If a superstar charges ₹200 crore and you add another ₹200 crore for production, the overall cost is ₹400 crore. This means that the film has to gross nearly ₹1,200 crore theatrically to break even. At the moment, that is not possible unless the film organically develops into a nationwide blockbuster, which 

 hasn’t managed to do. As I see it, it is great for the star’s image and fanbase for the news of his fee to be talked about, but it needn’t be the truth.”

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New Rules of Bollywood's Paparazzi Game

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