After the release of the song ‘Tabahi’ from Yash and Kiara Advani starrer ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’, a huge debate started on social media over its intimate scenes. Amidst this controversy, actress Kajal Aggarwal has said that her decision not to act in intimate scenes on screen is her personal choice and that is why she has turned down several big film offers in her career.
In a recent interview with podcaster Subhankar Mishra, Kajol said that she has never felt comfortable doing intimate scenes or dresses that make her feel uncomfortable on screen.
“I can only speak for myself. I have never played a character like that. If I don’t feel comfortable doing intimate scenes on screen or wearing bikinis—then I won’t do it. That’s why I’ve turned down many great film offers. I have no regrets. It’s my personal boundary that I don’t want to cross.
“I’ve never felt comfortable doing very intimate scenes. For me, these are personal things that I don’t feel right showing on screen. I’ve always respected my boundaries and stand by that decision.’
In the interview, Kajol was asked why actresses face more criticism than actors despite playing similar scenes. “It is a completely personal decision. A man will decide whether to act in such a scene. The decision should be made within himself. But I think women are relatively more cautious about such things.”
Kajol also spoke about how motherhood has influenced her decisions. Entrepreneur Gautam Kislu and Kajol have a four-year-old son, Neil. According to Kajol, she now also thinks about her son while choosing a character.
“My son should feel proud when he grows up and sees my films. I don’t want him to feel uncomfortable or ask, “Mom, why did you do that?” after watching a scene. So now I choose films very consciously.’
After the release of the song ‘Tabahi’, many viewers praised the production style and visuals while criticizing the intimate scenes. Kiara Advani has been abused on social media. At the time, the film’s actor, Benedict Garrett, questioned why only the actress received more criticism for her performance in the same scene, while the actor was praised.
Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is slated to hit theaters in August while Kajal Aggarwal’s ‘The India Story’ releases in July.