Can Intimate Scenes Be Shot in a Post-COVID Era? Industry Answers

Producer Siddharth Anand Kumar and intimacy coordinator Amanda Cutting offer some solutions.

Sara Ali Khan and Kartik Aaryan in a still from Love Aaj Kal.

(Photo Courtesy: YouTube screengrab)

With the coronavirus pandemic giving rise to a ‘new normal’, the entertainment industry will also see a paradigm shift in the manner in which films and TV series will be shot. In a first, Saregama’s movie production wing, Yoodlee Films, is contemplating reducing physical intimacy scenes from their upcoming projects, as per a report by mid-day.

Siddharth Anand Kumar, vice-president films and events, Saregama India, says that their next direct-to-web film that has been commissioned by a popular OTT platform will employ the blocking technique while filming intimate scenes.

In that technique, each actor shoots his/her scenes separately. “The project is scheduled to go on floors in July. The plot revolves around a couple who poses as siblings, so some intimacy is required to give the story more depth. We plan to employ the blocking technique there”, Kumar told the publication.

Siddharth also added that as for the projects that are still being scripted, the studio has asked the writers to cut down the number of intimate scenes. “Despite the creative liberties that writers are being given when it comes to the scripts, we have to request them to alter the writing a bit keeping in mind the safety of the actors. Doing away with such scenes can be a reality in the near future”, Kumar said, adding that eventually a technique will be deployed to film intimate scenes.

Intimacy coordinator Amanda Cutting, who has been roped in for the recently launched web series Mastram, also predicted that there will be a change in the way passion is depicted on screen. In an interview to Times of India, Cutting said,

“We have to be very mindful of the fact that we don’t expose actors to any kind of danger. In the post-COVID world, sex scenes need to be shot like Bollywood did in the 60s and 70s. Indians are a pro at flirting on screen, and I loved watching actors make a tantalizing eye contact and the sensual dance that was used to set the mood. Filmmakers should take inspiration from that”.

(Inputs: mid-day and Times of India)