Bollywood has produced several films in the last decade with actresses starring in intimate scenes. While most newcomers to the Hindi film industry seem quite open to such scenes, only a handful of senior actresses have opted to do them in the last few decades. Kareena Kapoorn Khan is one such actress who opted out of intimate scenes in her projects.
The 90s saw Rekha, Dimple Kapadia, and Madhuri Dixit doing bold scenes in mainstream movies, while the 2000s had Mallika Sherawat, Bipasha Basu, and Deepika Padukone showing their sensual side on camera. Presently, Kiara Advani (Lust Stories) and Alia Bhatt have portrayed intimate scenes on screen.
However, Kareena Kapoor has never chosen to do any intimate scene on-screen except in Kurbaan with her now husband, Saif Ali Khan. In an interview with Dirty Magazine hosted by Gillian Anderson, starring in Sex Education, Kareena Kapoor opens up about her reason for not accepting intimate scenes in Bollywood.
Kareena Kapoor’s Take On Doing Intimate Scenes in Bollywood
Kareena Kapoor shared that while the West is open about sexual needs and actresses are comfortable doing intimate scenes, she feels India is still not ready for such scenes. The Crew star says, “It’s just the way we look at the whole idea. We don’t look at sexuality or sex as a human experience. We have to start looking [at] and respecting that a lot more before we put it on screen. It’s my belief.”
After 25 years in the Hindi film industry, she shared with Sex Education actress Gillian Anderson that she doesn’t feel comfortable doing such intimate sex scenes on-screen. Adding further, she said, “I personally feel that it’s not important to take a story forward. It’s not something that I believe that is required in the form of a story. I know I will not be comfortable doing that. I have never done it. From where I come from, we are still not as open as having the narrative the way it is out there for you guys, the way you can feel it so openly. While female desire is openly tackled in the West, it’s always been so open about it.”
Kareena Kapoor’s Perception About Bold Scene Evolved Through Her Film Chameli
Kareena played the role of a sex worker in Chameli, who is bold and brash in her femininity. This role offered Kareena Kapoor a new appreciation for a different type of feminine beauty. Drawing her experience from her 2003 film Chameli, she said, “I kind of realized a lot of things. The fact that I didn’t have to conform to the traditional notions like looking a particular way of femininity or being beautiful because she was so brash and unapologetic. I think that was a form of beauty that I appreciated. I am happy that I got to play that part. It pushed me to be more fearless.”
This interview of Kareena Kapoor made the internet speculate about her move towards Western projects however, nothing has been confirmed as of now. Although, if speculation is to be believed, her next project might be with Meghna Gulzar. Although Kapoor does stick to her not being comfortable with intimate scenes in Bollywood movies, she, however, performed bold scenes in movies like Fida and Kurbaan.
So, do you feel India is yet to become liberal about sex education or sex in general? Does the concept of female desire not sit right with India’s patriarchal mindset? Share your thoughts with us.
