Akshay Murarka, intimacy coordinator on Saiyaara opens up on how the intimate scenes in the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda starrer were filmed. He says. “Since Ahaan and Aneet were newcomers, building trust came first. We workshopped in the first week of shooting itself, working through exercises around consent, boundaries, trust and comfort. These sessions aren’t just about preparing for intimate scenes – they’re about helping actors feel secure in their own bodies and with each other. The workshops are structured where every detail is discussed, agreed upon and carefully staged, nothing is ever assumed. Their openness made the process seamless. Once that foundation of safety was in place, the intimacy on screen felt natural and I think that honesty really connected with the audience. Much of the intimacy in Saiyaara unfolds through the songs.”
Sharing details of how the shots were planned he adds, “In the song Tum Ho Toh, there’s a sequence with the two of them in a bathtub under an open-air shower. The intention there was to capture young, playful love without it tipping into anything steamy or vulgar. While the moment looks effortless on screen, a lot of care went into ensuring strict closed-set protocols, along with the use of modesty garments, body tape, and physical barriers, so that the actors’ safety and comfort were never compromised. In contrast, in the song Barbaad, there is a bedroom sequence where the emotion called for passion, but even there, the approach was gentle and sensitive. Every moment was carefully discussed and choreographed so the intimacy felt honest and intense, yet always respectful.”
Speaking about how intimacy coordinators have changed the industry he says, “Earlier, many intimate moments were handled instinctively, sometimes without enough conversation. When people feel safe, they perform more freely. That ultimately leads to intimacy on screen that feels more authentic, more nuanced, and far more powerful for the audience.”
Being a man in the profession how does he ensure women artistes are comfortable? “Trust is everything in this profession, and I never take that lightly, especially when an actor, and often an actress, places that trust in me as a male IC. I’m deeply aware of the responsibility that comes with it. Once they see that their comfort is genuinely being prioritised, not just in words, but in action, the trust follows naturally. There have been instances where I wasn’t brought on as an IC because a director, actress or the production felt they might feel more comfortable with a female IC and I completely respect that. My effort is always to approach intimacy with empathy and neutrality,” says Akshay.
