EXCLUSIVE: Tamannaah Bhatia says male actors are more uncomfortable during intimate scenes; Bhumi Pednekar recalls being extremely ‘nervous’ during full throttle scene in Lust Stories

Bollywood Hungama hosted its roundtable with actresses who made a mark in 2022 in films. Bhumi Pednekar, Tamannaah Bhatia were amongst the actresses who were in attendance along with Rakul Preet Singh, Alaya F and Huma Qureshi. The actresses spoke about several aspects of their careers including the importance of having intimacy coordinators on sets. In the past few years, intimacy coaches have become an important part of the shoot to take the actors through the process smoothly.

Speaking at the Bollywood Hungama Actresses Round Table 2022 presented by Astroyogi, Huma Qureshi noted that there is a sense of discomfort and nervousness before an intimate scene shoot. However, Tamannaah Bhatia said that male actors are more awkward than female ones. She said, “I have seen more men being uncomfortable or being awkward with intimate scenes. It’s basically about understanding that actors are just human, it’s not about men or women. Sometimes guys are a lot more shy and they’re a lot more worried about how the woman is going to feel in that equation. I have seen the guy seems more worried than I do.”

During the same conversation when told that media would be invited to the sets of the films when such scenes were being shot back in the day, a shocked Bhumi responded by saying, “That is so exploitative.” Rakul Preet Singh mentioned how these scenes are so ‘mechanical’ and there are times when she counts the seconds in her head during the kissing scenes.

Bhumi Pednekar recalled the ‘full throttle’ scene with Neil Bhoopalam in Lust Stories in 2018. She told Bollywood Hungama, “When I did Lust Stories, I was nervous. It was a ‘full throttle’ orgasm but at that time, for me intimacy coordinator, we didn’t have that. But, Zoya, with the sensitivity with which she took me and Neil through it, because as she said, it is not about ‘you are a girl and you should feel comfortable when a male co-star needs to’. But, I was nervous because this is the most naked I can be in the room full of people. I barely had any clothes on and we have protection and technically done but still, between Neil and I, we had to sit down and say that these are our boundaries. Just that conversation between your director, you and your co-actor was so important because you are in a moment and it’s no different.”

Bhumi Pednekar starred in two movies this year – Badhaai Do and Govinda Naam Mera. Tamannaah Bhatia was seen in Babli Bouncer and Plan A Plan B.

ALSO READ: “Feels amazing to have started and also ending the year on a creative high” – Bhumi Pednekar on Badhaai Do and Govinda Naam Mera