Why Bollywood is hiring intimacy coordinators for film and OTT productions

India’s film industry is increasingly hiring specialists to choreograph intimate scenes establish boundaries and ensure performers feel safe.

India’s film industry is increasingly hiring specialists to choreograph intimate scenes establish boundaries and ensure performers feel safe.

Bollywood is gradually adopting intimacy coordinators as filmmakers place greater emphasis on consent professional boundaries and actors’ well-being during the production of films and streaming shows.

The role once largely unfamiliar in India’s entertainment industry has gained attention following the global #MeToo movement and the growing popularity of streaming platforms. These services have encouraged filmmakers to explore more realistic and complex stories involving relationships and sexuality.

Intimacy coordinators work much like stunt directors planning physical interactions in advance rather than leaving performers to improvise potentially uncomfortable moments. Their responsibilities include discussing boundaries agreeing on choreography and ensuring that all participants understand what a scene requires.

Aastha Khanna one of the professionals working in this emerging field explained that coordinators carefully plan physical movements so actors know exactly what will happen during filming. They also use specialised protective equipment to minimise unnecessary contact while creating the intended effect on screen.

According to Khanna, coordinators are ideally involved before casting begins. This allows actors to understand the intimate scenes included in a script and decide whether they are comfortable with those requirements before accepting a role.

For decades, Bollywood generally avoided explicit depictions of physical intimacy because of censorship restrictions and conservative filmmaking conventions. Romantic moments were often suggested through symbolic imagery rather than direct portrayals.

However, streaming platforms have helped change the landscape by allowing greater creative freedom and encouraging stories that address subjects traditionally considered taboo.

One notable example was Gehraiyaan released on Amazon Prime Video in 2022. The production incorporated intimacy coordination to establish boundaries and plan scenes while workshops helped performers understand physical dynamics and consent.

The approach has also gained recognition among actors working on streaming dramas. Rasika Dugal known for her role in Mirzapur has highlighted the importance of having trained specialists to address performers’ concerns and prevent boundary violations.

Despite growing awareness intimacy coordinators remain relatively uncommon across India’s film and television industries. There are no formal industry-wide requirements compelling productions to hire them and some filmmakers continue to manage intimate scenes themselves.

Industry professionals hope film associations will introduce clearer standards to make the practice more widespread.

Khanna has also emphasised that intimacy coordination extends beyond romantic scenes. It can involve situations featuring nudity harassment power imbalances or violence making careful planning important for performers’ safety and professional comfort.

As Bollywood continues to explore more complex stories intimacy coordinators are emerging as an important part of efforts to create safer and more respectful working environments.