Barun Sobti Has No-Kiss Clause In His Contract: 'Never Kissed Anyone Apart From My Wife' | Exclusive

After Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke, Asur 2 and Badtameez Dil, Barun Sobti is gearing up for his fourth outing this year. Titled Kohrra, the Netflix original series is set against Punjab and sees him playing a small-town cop unravelling two murder cases. Known for his boy-next-door avatar, Kohrra has him pushing the envelope in many ways and sees his character engaging in intense intimacy on screen.

In an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, Barun reveals that he isn’t uncomfortable with onscreen intimacy and points out how he had to go fully nude for a short film titled Derma (2019). “I’ve no qualms about onscreen intimacy and I never had any. It’s not very common in India but I’ve worked on a short film where I was bu*t naked. So, I don’t care about being intimate with someone, lying naked next to someone or being physically close to someone onscreen. It’s part of the job," he states.

But Barun is quick to tell us that onscreen kissing is a strict no for him and that he has a no-kiss clause included in his contract. “I never kissed anyone else apart from my wife (Pashmeen Manchanda)," he says. Prod him about the same and he shares an anecdote with us that dates back to more than two decades. “It’s a very old and valuable story for me. My wife and I were 15 years old when I told her for the first time that I want to become an actor. We were in the tenth or eleventh standard," he recollects.

The 38-year-old further elaborates, “She jokingly said to me, ‘Oh, you’re going to go around kissing everyone then!’ So, I thought in my own mind that I wouldn’t kiss anyone onscreen. I kept up with that so far but now my wife tells me, ‘What the hell is wrong with you? You’ve grown up. You can kiss other women if your work requires so.’ But I can’t get my head around it."

The Baat Hamari Pakki Hai and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon actor, however, feels that doing intimate scenes becomes particularly uncomfortable for female actors. Speaking about it, he says, “Now that I think of it, I think it can get very nasty for a girl. My co-actors are women and they’re always nice. But for women to have a man as a co-actor is a completely different ballgame. So, I think it’s more difficult for women to be engaging in intimacy, onscreen."

Barun continues, “It’s like real life where regular, healthy relationships are usually controlled by women because the consent has to be given by them. When it comes to intimacy, the grant is always given by women. So, if women are comfortable, it also becomes easier for men."

He also attributes this comfort to intimacy coordinators, who according to Barun, have been instrumental in shaping the narrative. “These days, intimacy coordinators are heavily involved in such scenes. But according to me, it’s all about talking to people. I’ve seen women being more comfortable if their sensitivity is given more respect. That’s why intimacy coordinators are game-changers," he remarks.