Archive · 22 Aug 2026
From Dancing Flowers to Bold Kisses: Bollywood Romance Evolves
Indian movies have shown love differently over the years.
In older films, filmmakers often used two flowers moving together instead of showing a kiss.
Some early films did show romantic kisses, including A Throw of Dice in 1929 and Karma in 1933.
Raj Kapoor’s films later helped make kissing more visible in Hindi cinema.
Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi became known for kissing scenes.
Today, films and web series often show much more direct intimacy.
The scenes in the Tabaahi song from Toxic caused disagreement among viewers.
Some people think these moments can make a love story feel real, while others find them uncomfortable or vulgar.
A few actors, such as Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha, have chosen not to kiss on screen.
Hindi cinema once used dancing flowers to imply kisses, especially in the 1960s.
Raj Kapoor’s Bobby and Satyam Shivam Sundaram helped bring on-screen kissing into mainstream Hindi films.
Actors including Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi became closely associated with screen kisses.
Recent intimate scenes, including those in Toxic’s Tabaahi song, have prompted debate over sensuality and vulgarity.
Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha are identified as notable Bollywood figures who avoid on-screen kissing.
- Who
- Bollywood filmmakers, actors and audiences, including Yash, Kiara Advani, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha.
- What
- The article traces how romantic and kissing scenes in Indian cinema developed from implied kisses to more explicit on-screen intimacy.
- When
- From the silent-film era and the 1960s through contemporary films and web series; the article references Toxic in 2026.
- Where
- Indian cinema, particularly mainstream Hindi-language Bollywood films and web series.
- Why
- Changing filmmaking practices and audience responses have made screen intimacy more direct, while also provoking debate about whether it is sensual or vulgar.
Supporters of Screen Intimacy
Critics of Screen Intimacy
Role in romantic storytelling
Supporters of Screen Intimacy
Intimate scenes can show the closeness between characters and have become a standard feature of many romantic and horror productions.
Critics of Screen Intimacy
Critics argue that such scenes are often forced or gimmicky and may not serve the storyline.
Sensuality versus vulgarity
Supporters of Screen Intimacy
Some viewers see contemporary scenes, including the Tabaahi sequence from Toxic, as an acceptable depiction of characters who are in love.
Critics of Screen Intimacy
Others consider many modern Hindi-film kisses too explicit, vulgar or uncomfortable, especially when films are watched with family.
Changing audience expectations
Supporters of Screen Intimacy
The move from implied kisses to direct intimacy reflects changing cinematic conventions and greater willingness to depict sexuality.
Critics of Screen Intimacy
The article argues that filmmakers frequently copy one another and that more kissing does not necessarily mean better filmmaking.
- Early silent-film kiss
- A Throw of Dice (1929) contained romantic embraces and kisses involving Seeta Devi and Charu Roy.
- First talkie kiss
- Karma (1933) featured an extended romantic sequence involving Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai.
- Mainstream return
- Raj Kapoor’s Bobby (1973) is described as marking the return of on-screen kissing to mainstream Hindi features.
- Recent controversy
- The Tabaahi song from Toxic, starring Yash and Kiara Advani, drew criticism and discussion over its intimate scenes.
- Notable no-kiss stance
- Salman Khan is described as having never kissed a heroine on screen, while Sonakshi Sinha has a no-kiss clause in her contracts.
- Earlier implied same-sex kiss
- Razia Sultan (1983) contains an implied lip lock between Parveen Babi and Hema Malini in Khwab Ban Kar Koi Aayega.
- Actors associated with screen kisses
- The article identifies Emraan Hashmi, Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar as prominent actors known for kissing scenes.