Bollywood embraces intimacy coordinators as actors get more physical

India's Bollywood film industry, known for its prolific output, is increasingly embracing intimacy coordinators to manage scenes involving nudity or sex. These professionals are becoming more common as filmmakers adopt stricter standards following the #MeToo movement, which highlighted sexual exploitation in entertainment industries worldwide.

Aastha Khanna, one of a growing number of intimacy coordinators in Bollywood, explains that they prepare "modesty tools" like crotch guards and nipple pasties to simulate intimacy with minimal physical contact. Unlike the past, when intimate scenes relied on mutual trust between actors and directors, these coordinators map out every detail of scenes, ensuring consent and safety.

The trend began with "Gehraiyaan" in 2022, directed by Karan Johar, and has since spread to streaming platforms, where openness to exploring taboo subjects is encouraged. While some actors avoid explicit physical intimacy, the presence of intimacy coordinators helps prevent boundary violations and promotes safer, more respectful filmmaking.