In a heartening tale from the world of Bollywood and celebrity media, popular paparazzo Varinder Chawla has revealed how actor Ranveer Singh came to his rescue during a major professional crisis. Chawla, who runs a prominent page with millions of followers, found his Instagram account blocked for three days after receiving a strike from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The Instagram Block That Felt Like a 'Shop on Fire'
During a recent podcast interview with Siddharth Kannan, Varinder Chawla recounted the distressing incident that occurred around the time of India's World Cup victory and the wedding of Anant Ambani. His team had posted videos of public celebrations, content that was widely shared across the nation. However, this led to a direct strike from the ICC on his Instagram account.
"Your YouTube channel or page is like a shop for you... a livelihood. It felt such that someone has set your shop on fire," Chawla expressed, describing the three-day block that began in early January 2026. With over 7.2 million followers, his page is a significant source of income, and the threat of permanent suspension from Meta for another strike pushed him into a state of panic.
Ranveer Singh's Prompt Intervention and Assurance
After exhausting all other avenues, Chawla reached out to Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh for help. The actor, known for his energetic and generous persona, responded immediately with support. "He said, 'Don't worry, I will do as much as I can'," Chawla recalled. Singh and his team did not stop at mere reassurance; they took concrete steps to mediate the situation.
The actor's team facilitated a crucial connection for the paparazzo. They helped him get in touch with the Chairman of the ICC, Jay Shah, to appeal the strike. Chawla was guided to send a formal email to Shah's office explaining the situation.
Resolution from the Top: ICC and BCCI Step In
The intervention proved highly effective. Chawla received a call from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) team, who informed him that Jay Shah had reviewed his mail. The authorities acknowledged it was a minor error made during a moment of national celebration and not a malicious act.
"They told me that it's not a problem... 'We will fix it, but be careful and don't make such a mistake again'," Chawla shared. The matter was resolved within 15 days, with the strike being formally removed from his account, thus safeguarding his primary platform from permanent deletion.
Chawla concluded by expressing profound gratitude, marveling at how "despite being such big people, they helped me." This incident highlights the often-unseen dependencies within the digital content ecosystem, where paparazzi livelihoods hinge on social media algorithms and copyright rules, and the unexpected kindness that can come from the very celebrities they cover.
