For decades, under strict censorship, Hindi cinema let flowers, waves and crackling fire stand in for desire. Intimate scenes existed on screen largely through suggestion, while their actual filming depended on trust between actor and director. That arrangement is now giving way, production by production, to a specialist whose job is to choreograph the scene before the camera rolls.
Choreography before consent
Aastha Khanna, one of a small but growing group of intimacy coordinators in the Hindi film industry, told AFP that coordinators are usually hired before casting begins. “The idea is that actors know there are intimate scenes in the script and can decide whether they are comfortable with them before signing on,” she said.
On set, the work resembles stunt direction rather than improvisation. Khanna said coordinators “map out exactly where the hand goes and where the hair goes so nothing is left to awkward improvisation.” The toolkit makes the boundaries physical: crotch guards, nipple pasties and doughnut cushions that create safe distance during simulated sex.
Streaming makes the case
The shift follows the #MeToo movement and the rise of streaming platforms, which have pushed Hindi storytelling toward more nuanced and explicit territory. Gehraiyaan, backed by Karan Johar and released on Amazon Prime Video in 2022, is cited as one of the first mainstream Hindi productions to formalise intimacy direction. Khanna established boundaries and choreography; intimacy coach Neha Vyaso led workshops on physical dynamics and consent.
Adoption remains uneven. Mirzapur, known for graphic content, began without coordinators. Actor Rasika Dugal said early seasons required performers to navigate boundaries individually. “It is very important to have intimacy coordinators so nobody is violated in any way and everyone’s concerns are properly taken care of,” she said.
Why the stakes go beyond romance
Khanna describes intimacy as “a much larger umbrella” that includes violence, dominance, harassment and nudity, not only romance. “The work that I do mitigates a situation where a person may go through several years of therapy and the scar may not heal,” she said.
Yet the field remains small and voluntary. The report counts just over a dozen coordinators across India’s film and television industries. There is no formal guideline or requirement to hire one. Several commercial blockbusters avoid explicit intimacy altogether, and some experienced directors continue to manage such scenes themselves.
- Coordinators are usually brought in before casting, giving actors fuller information before they sign.
- Scenes are mapped movement by movement, with modesty tools reducing unnecessary contact.
- Streaming platforms have driven adoption, with Gehraiyaan (2022) an early mainstream example.
- No industry-wide standard exists, and the profession counts just over a dozen practitioners.
Source: The Express Tribune
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