Bollywood filmmakers and their code of conduct for actors

Sonal kapoor, Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, Ranveer Singh

The rich and the famous have regularly been pursued by Page 3 photographers, but the paparazzi these days seems to be on a new high.

The ever growing demand for celeb pictures on entertainment websites as well as 24/7 television channels has two sides to it - adventurous shutterbugs who go to any lengths to capture the glam folk, and celebs who battle the spotlight when they aren't promoting themselves or their films.

Sonam Kapoor's photoshoot for the cover of a fashion glossy

And as Bollywood becomes increasingly secretive, filmmakers have been known to encourage and even instruct the star cast of their respective projects to steer clear of media attention and behave in a particular manner.

Sooraj Barjatya

Recently, Sonam Kapoor is said to have raised the hackles of filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya as she did a sexy photoshoot for a magazine cover. Her unbuttoned blazer drew all attention to her cleavage and the 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo' director was not amused.

Sources say Barjatya felt the hot cover photo would dilute the audience's perception of Sonam as a village belle in his upcoming film. So, he has asked the leading lady to be more conscious of her image henceforth and keep in mind the character she is playing in her next film.

We take a look at other filmmakers who laid down certain instructions for their star cast while shooting...

Lying low
When Ranveer Singh was getting tonsured for 'Bajirao Mastani', his picture made it to the social media enraging director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. To ensure that such a slip doesn't happen again, Bhansali hired bouncers for Ranveer to make sure that nobody clicked him without his consent.

Ranveer Singh

He even enrolled in a suburban gym and would workout during odd hours so that his look was well hidden.

Before that, when the actor took Hrithik Roshan's 'Bang Bang' dare and danced on a busy Bandra street, SLB was miffed and had asked him to behave himself in public and stay serious for his role as Peshwa Bajirao in the upcoming period drama.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali had instructed Ranveer Singh to stay low after pictures of his tonsured look for 'Bajirao Mastani' were leaked online

Are you serious?
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is said to have the lead pair of his next project, 'Mirziya', on a tight leash.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has warned his Mirziya lead pair Harshvardhan Kapoor and Saiyami Kher against late nights and socialisation post shoot

Newcomers Harshwardhan Kapoor and Saiyami Kher have been asked not to socialise, drink, party or get clicked together post shoot hours.

Harshvardhan Kapoor

Other than a picture of Saiyami riding a horse led by Harshvardhan in Udaipur, which was leaked on social media, not much is known about the contemporary version of Mirza and Sahiba's tragic love story.

Saiyami Kher

Cap it off
Ritesh Sidhwani, co-producer of upcoming film 'Dil Dhadakne Do', had issued strict instructions to the actors to closely guard their respective looks in the film.

When the star cast got back from the first leg of shoot aboard a cruise liner, Anil Kapoor used to be spotted concealing his hair either with traditional turbans or funky hats. After all, he will be sporting a salt-and-pepper look for the first time on screen.

Anil Kapoor used to wear turbans and funky hats to hide his salt-and-pepper hair look in Zoya Akhtar's 'Dil Dhadakne Do'

Hair raising
Shoojit Sircar had asked John Abraham to avoid making public appearances while shooting for 'Madras Cafe' (2013) and steer clear of the paparazzi.

John Abraham was asked to avoid public events while growing his hair and beard for Shoojit Sircar's 'Madras Cafe' (2013)

The actor was growing his hair and beard for the film and had to shield it at all costs.

Sue to speak
While filming 'Ek Thi Daayan' (2013), producer Ekta Kapoor had introduced a unique confidentiality clause in the cast and crew's contract to protect the identity of the daayan (witch) from being leaked. In the clause, she threatened to sue anybody who revealed the look and the plot of the film.

Masking attention
In 'Paa' (2009), Amitabh Bachchan played a 13-year-old suffering from a rare premature aging disorder and his look was specially created by a team of make-up artists from London. During the shoot, director R Balki had turned his set into a fortress to keep Big B's character, look and the film's overall storyline secure.

Amitabh Bachchan had been asked by 'Paa' director R Balki to maintain a low profile so as to shield his prosthetic-accentuated look and overall plot of the film

At that time, those involved in the production work were strictly warned against speaking about the film to the media. On his part, Sr Bachchan had to take extra care not to reveal his look that was perfected with a daily five-hour make-up, with a part of the prosthetics constantly stuck to his face.

Underground
Shahid Kapoor wore a rugged look for Vishal Bharajwaj's 'Kaminey' (2009), a break from his chocolatey boy image until then. Being a taskmaster, the filmmaker had asked the actor not to attend public events so that his tanned complexion and longish hairdo was far from the spotlight.