Kissing scenes though were a taboo or went through the censor scissors a few years ago, it evolved in Bollywood films over time. It is now more common in the films that are released in the 21st century. Many earlier films relied only on a suggestive scene or a dialogue rather than showing the kissing scene physically. As societal norms evolve, filmmakers now showcase romance more realistically, often including on-screen kisses that reflect the complexity of modern relationships.
One of the first kissing scenes was in the 1933 film Karma, which featured the real-life couple Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai, who were also the on-screen popular couple. They were the first Bollywood couple to have openly shot a lip lock scene for the film. It is believed that it was Bollywood’s longest Kiss ever!
Kissing Through the Decades: A Look Back
The 1929 silent movie “A Throw of Dice” featured the first known on-screen kiss in Indian cinema. So, it was barely a decade away from the first kiss in Indian Film, after which the censor became quite prudish and one could see flowers or a pair of birds to depict the intimacy in the scene.
In modern times, when we talk about the intimate or kissing scene in a Bollywood film, our first thought is of the actor Emraan Hashmi, who was once even referred to as the ‘Serial Kisser’ of Bollywood.
In the earlier cinema, kissing was largely absent from the films due to the censorship and the non-acceptance due to social norms. As scripts demanded more realism, kissing scenes began to appear in films, often sparking controversy, but gradually gained acceptance over time.
Some of the most modern Bollywood films that featured kissing and even explicit scenes boldly were:
Breaking Barriers: The Rise of On-Screen Intimacy
In Dhoom 2, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai’s Kiss was a prominent example. In Jab Tak Hai Jaan, it was Shah Rukh Khan’s first on-screen kiss with Katrina Kaif. Raja Hindustani, Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor’s kiss in the rain had become famous. Murder, it was Emraan Hashmi and Mallika Sherawat whose kissing scene and their intimacy on screen was one of the most evolved kissing scenes in Bollywood. One of the scenes remembered is Deepika Padukone and Siddhant Chaturvedi’s intimate scene in the film Gehraiyaan. In Shuddh Desi Romance, it was the handsome actor Sushant Singh Rajput with Parineeti Chopra and Vaani Kapoor who had multiple kissing scenes. Rajveer Singh with Vaani Kapoor kissing in Befikre was a well-known scene.
One of the films in Bollywood that didn’t do well and was not a success. Niel Nitin Mukesh and Sonal Chauhan starred in the 2013 thriller 3G, which included 30 passionate kissing scenes, making it a bold move in Indian cinema. Despite the high, intimate scenes, the film bombed at the box office, so it’s not really necessary to have a lot of intimacy in films unless the script demands it.
The Changing Face of Romance in Indian Cinema
Romance and intimate scenes have always been a part of Bollywood films, but there has been an increase in kissing scenes with the use of camera angles, editing techniques to imply a scene without showing it directly. Bollywood has no doubt excelled in portraying a romantic scene with intimacy through other means such as songs, dialogues and subtle gestures between the lovers or the couple.
The evolution of kissing reflects the societal changes adapted by Bollywood in the changing scenario. Bollywood films used editing to imply intimacy, but some prominent actors and actresses paved the way for more explicit on-screen kisses, gradually pushing the boundaries of cinematic romance.
In the 1980’s Bollywood began to explore bolder depiction of romance through being intimate in the rain such as the song Aaj Rapat Jaye Toh, or the Iconic 11-minute kiss between Aamir Khan and Karisma in Raja Hindustani or in the films like Murder and Dhoom 2 that pushed the boundaries beyond with a explicit kissing scene.
The most recent were the kissing scenes from Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani which it was through the songs in the film. The lip-lock was evident and one of the major talking points. Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, once an off-screen couple and were dating, had their onscreen chemistry, which included a kissing scene in Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani that got very popular with the two favourite actors of Bollywood cinema.
Ram Leela was a memorable film with Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone in a cultural historical film but their passionate kiss went beyond the tradition.
Love in the Spotlight: The Evolution of Kissing Scenes
Kissing publicly has had its own cultural norms in a traditional and conservative Indian society that we live in. Kissing has been viewed as inappropriate, and hence, The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has imposed very strict guidelines on what filmmakers can portray in films. While these regulations over the years have become lenient and relaxed now, filmmakers often tend to take things for granted and often err on the other side, which has received a backlash.
Storytelling traditions have changed, though Bollywood has a rich culture of using song, dance sequences to express emotions. The musical pause often suggests physical intimacy, allowing the couple to convey their romance without an explicit scene.
Audience expectations have also been catered to by the films. Many Bollywood film producers have avoided the kissing scene to ensure the broader mass appeal of the family audience. A film that may have a lot of intimate scenes may not be able to fetch a good TRP and is less marketable if we look into the demography.
The changing trends may have begun to incorporate kissing scenes in more recent films, reflecting on the societal attitudes but the younger generation of filmmakers or the audience are open to exploring such themes in the films if it requires the intimacy and romance in the script.
As Bollywood continues to grow, the industry is slowly embracing on-screen intimacy, reflecting a gradual shift in societal attitudes and a more open approach to romance.
A Shift in Societal Norms: Kissing on Screen
Bollywood actors excel at conveying love and affection through romance, showcasing their versatility beyond just kissing scenes. It is an art that allows one can suggest a seductive scene even without showing an intimate kissing scene.
Bollywood films over the years have shot some of the biggest film stars doing the lip lock and it has stayed on. Now, there are kissing scenes in almost every movie.
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