As actors get more physical, Bollywood embraces intimacy coordinators

The Indian film industry, known for its prolific output, has traditionally avoided depicting physical intimacy on screen due to strict government guidelines and powerful censors. However, a shift is underway as professionals called intimacy coordinators gain prominence. These coordinators, akin to a stunt director for intimate scenes, map out specific movements and use "modesty tools" to ensure actors' safety and consent.

Neha Vyaso, an intimacy director, conducts mock workshops with actors to establish boundaries and choreograph scenes. Aastha Khanna, an intimacy coordinator, emphasizes the importance of actors knowing about intimate scenes beforehand to decide their comfort level. While the emergence of intimacy coordinators reflects a broader transformation in the industry, they remain a rarity, numbering just over a dozen across India's film and television sectors.