Sex scenes are not important to take a story forward, Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan said during a free-wheeling chat with Hollywood star Gillian Anderson for Dirty Magazine, admitting that sex or sexuality is not looked at as a “human experience” in the Indian entertainment industry.
“I feel like it’s not important to take a story forward. It is not something I believe is required in the form of a story to show that. I know I might not be comfortable doing that on screen. I never have done it,” she told Anderson in response to a question.
The Jab We Met star admitted she is not comfortable doing sex scenes and believes that Indian cinema and its audience are not entirely open to such depictions yet.
“It's just the way we look at the whole idea. We don't look at sexuality or sex as a human experience. We have to start looking and respecting that a lot more before we put it on screen. It's my belief. Where I’m coming from is the fact that we’re still not as open as the West,” the Tashan actress added.
The two actresses discussed a range of topics, including the portrayal of sex in their respective industries, and the evolving standards of beauty and ageing in entertainment.
Kareena also spoke about playing a sex worker in the 2003 film Chameli and how the experience shaped her as an actor. When asked if she felt liberated and fearless performing the character, she responded, “It was kind of a turning point because it also helped me tap into my own confidence, my sensuality at a young age.”
“I kind of realised a lot of things. The fact that I didn't have to conform to the traditional notions like looking a particular way of femininity, of being beautiful, because she was so brash and unapologetic. I think that was a form of beauty which I really appreciate. I am happy that I got to play that part. It pushed me to be more fearless,” Kareena added.
Anderson, best known for her role as FBI Agent Dana Scully in The X-Files, spoke about the evolving opportunities for women in the entertainment industry.
“There is a weird catch-22 because you certainly have a lot of actresses who have adjusted their physique in order to continue looking a certain age or to fit into the mould. And there is a lot of judgement about that, with tabloids wanting to tear them apart for making those choices for themselves,” she said.
“At the same time, the industry doesn’t fully accept those who haven’t had work done. So it’s a bit of a catch-22 in our system. It’s much kinder than it used to be,” the Sex Education actress added.
Kareena also weighed in on beauty and ageing in the entertainment industry. “I think it’s a personal choice. I mean, I enjoy a few lines here and there on my face. I think it kind of looks sexy. Somehow, I feel happier in my 40s than I was in my 20s. I just want it to take its natural course. I’m not old yet, so I’m still rocking,” she remarked.
On the work front, Gillian Anderson will next be seen in The Abandons, an American Western action drama series set in the 1850s, focusing on conflicts between various outlaw groups in the Old West. Created by Kurt Sutter, the show is set to premiere on Netflix.
Meanwhile, Kareena was last seen in Singham Again, sharing screen space with Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, and Jackie Shroff.
