Film industry insiders are still fuming at the way a tabloid has shown Kareena Kapoor in an intimate situation with boyfriend Shahid Kapur.

The pictures published by Mid-Day, and subsequently blown up on all satellite channels, have left people in the industry feeling they have to pay a big price for fame and popularity, reports Bollywood Trade.

"Being famous has its own advantages and disadvantages but like celebrities, the media also has a responsibility towards society. The manner in which the issue is being blown out of proportion is definitely in bad taste," says director Tanuja Chandra.

"On one side they are denouncing the whole incident and on the other hand they are actually subscribing to it in order to promote their television channels. It gives the impression that kissing is a phenomenon that has only just been discovered.

"Moreover, I and the rest of the people in the film fraternity are surprised that channels should stoop to giving as much as 10 minutes to such clippings when there are far more important things happening in the world," she adds.

There are others who feel that being a public figure is more of a liability than an asset.

According to celebrated photographer and video-director Jagdish Mali, he has seen a number of stars including his own daughter Antara Mali having to go through a lot of inconvenience for being a public figure.

"They lose out on all the pleasures of day-to-day life. They cannot even go to a cinema without being mobbed. Even when it comes to traveling, they are left with no other alternative other than boarding a special flight. The paparazzi are waiting for the moment to record the slightest slip-up on their part.

"I have seen stars going through nightmares when they are hounded by the media for days together for a small oversight," recalls Mali.

Kareena and Shahid maintain the pictures were morphed and that they would sue. Mid-Day has denied that it doctored the pictures.