Salman Khan recently expressed his anger, on and off social media, after paparazzi invaded his privacy during a hospital visit. The Sultan actor took to Instagram and shared his utter disappointment, writing: “If I see any press at a hospital enjoying my pain. The press that I have stood for interacted with, took care to make sure that they also earn their bread and butter. But if they wanna make money from my losses, keep quiet, don’t enjoy. bhai bhai bhai…picture ki maaa ki aankh, pic imp hai ya life.”In his subsequent post, Salman warned, “Saath saal ka ho gaya hoon lekin ladna nahiiin bhoola yeh yaad rakh lena, jail mein dalo ge haaa haaa”. (I am now 60, but I still know how to fight).It was later reported that the paparazzi apologised to the actor at the success party for Raja Shivaji. They were heard saying, “Sorry,” as the actor walked in at the Mumbai event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan)Around the same time, content creator, writer, and producer Siddhaarth Aalambayan, who often drives celebrities around on his show, was heckled and body shamed by paparazzi as he stepped out with the lead actors of the film Pati Patni Aur Woh Do — Ayushmann Khurrana, Sara Ali Khan, and Rakul Preet Singh.While he and the actors enjoyed some chaat at a street-side corner shop as part of the show’s shoot, paparazzi asked him to step aside with slurs like ‘vada pav’, and takle (bald), which was captured on camera. Taking to Instagram to express his angst, the host captioned a video, “Bullied as a kid. Bullied while on the job. Timelines change. The hurt doesn’t. Be kinder, please.” How much is too much? (Photo: Freepik)In the emotional video post, Aalambayan urged that as humans, people need to be kinder. “You guys don’t get it. I do have a paunch. I was bullied as a kid. At least, I was bullied in college. You calling me vada pav, or commenting on my genetically thinning hair, ye takle bolna (bald man…), how is this fair? Do you think it is easy to be in front of the camera and talk to such big artistes? So many publications use our stories. To be a podcast host in 2026 is not easy. Everyone has their own insecurities. This hurts. Don’t do this. We are all one, right? We are a family. This is how I treat you. As a human, be little kinder.”Sara Tendulkar too named and shamed a pap page for body shaming her. “You are disgusting. This is not journalism. Leave. Us. Alone,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories on a video post, which compared her to her sister-in-law Saaniya Chandhok while at the airport. Sara Tendulkar too slammed paparazzi (Photo: Sara Tendulkar/Instagram Stories)These incidents have reopened an important conversation around privacy, emotional boundaries, dignity, and the hidden cost of living under constant public scrutiny. While these incidents involve public personalities, the deeper issue goes far beyond celebrity culture. It forces us to ask an uncomfortable but necessary question: Where exactly do we draw the line between public interest and basic human dignity? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Siddhaarth Aalambayan (@thestorytellerindia) Story continues below this adFrom a psychology and emotional intelligence perspective, Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist and life coach, argued that visibility does not cancel vulnerability. “Just because someone lives in front of cameras does not mean they stop experiencing embarrassment, grief, illness, fear, insecurity, exhaustion, or emotional pain. Actors, creators, influencers, journalists, hosts, and public personalities may professionally function in visible spaces, but psychologically, they remain human beings with nervous systems that respond to intrusion, humiliation, overstimulation, and emotional overload just like everyone else.”One of the biggest misconceptions society often carries is the belief that fame creates emotional immunity. “It does not. In many cases, constant visibility can intensify emotional pressure. When a person is repeatedly photographed, commented upon, interrupted during personal moments, publicly scrutinised, body-shamed, or reduced to consumable content, the nervous system does not necessarily process this as ‘part of the profession’. It often experiences it as emotional intrusion, hypervigilance, overstimulation, or chronic pressure,” she described.This becomes particularly important in deeply sensitive spaces such as hospitals, health crises, grief, family emergencies, or emotionally vulnerable moments. “A hospital is not merely a physical location. Psychologically, it represents uncertainty, caregiving, pain, anxiety, helplessness, hope, and emotional overwhelm. When cameras, aggressive access, or public spectacle enter such moments, the conversation shifts from ‘Can this moment be captured?’ to a much deeper ethical question: ‘Should this moment be captured?’ That distinction matters profoundly,” she asserted.The Siddhaarth Aalambayan incident opens another important psychological conversation around humour, language, and emotional wounds.Story continues below this ad“Casual teasing, appearance-based comments, nicknames, body remarks, or “harmless jokes” are often normalised in media spaces and everyday social interactions far more casually than they should be. But psychologically, people do not experience comments in isolation. Words land on histories,” affirmed Delnna.As Siddhaarth himself acknowledged, bullying timelines may change, but the emotional imprint often remains.Delnna noted that many adults carry childhood ridicule silently into adulthood. “A seemingly small public remark can reopen emotional memories that are far older than the present moment. This is precisely why statements such as “I was only joking” do not automatically erase emotional impact. Kindness matters. Context matters. Timing matters. Human dignity matters,” she said.At the same time, this conversation is not about entirely vilifying media culture, paparazzi ecosystems, or public curiosity. Media supports livelihoods. “Public personalities also work within industries built around visibility, engagement, storytelling, and public access. The real conversation is about ethical boundaries, emotional awareness, and professional responsibility. There is a meaningful difference between documentation and intrusion, between access and entitlement, between covering public work and exploiting private vulnerability,” explained Delnna.Story continues below this adAnd perhaps the line we most urgently need to redraw today is not simply between celebrity and media. It is between curiosity and compassion. Because access should never come at the cost of someone’s humanity.