Priya Bapat has opened up about a disturbing experience from the early years of her acting career, recalling how an unnamed co-star allegedly crossed professional boundaries during a film shoot. The actress said she had initially questioned the need for a kissing scene in the script, but later agreed to it after deciding she wanted to overcome her own inhibitions.
According to Priya, however, the situation became uncomfortable when the actor allegedly went beyond what had been agreed upon during the shoot. She also recalled receiving repeated personal messages from him while they were staying at the same hotel.
Priya Bapat Questioned The Need For A Kissing Scene
Looking back at one of her first films, before her work in projects such as City of Dreams, Priya said she had concerns about a kissing scene from the time she first read the script.
The actress clarified that her hesitation was not simply about whether she was willing to perform a kiss on screen. Instead, she wanted to understand how the scene contributed to the story.
“There was only one kiss in the film. And I had concerns and doubts about it right from the script reading sessions. And I was continuously asking the director, why do you need it here? It’s not about whether I want to kiss or no. But it’s just about… How do you justify it? It just doesn’t fit here.”
Priya said she eventually decided to agree to the scene, provided it was genuinely necessary for the film. She also viewed the experience as an opportunity to challenge some of her own inhibitions.
“If it requires and if it is needed, then I’m open to do it. But it is not required. But he was very insistent. And I said, let me also see. I want to break the inhibitions that I have in my head. Let me just do it and finish it off.”
Priya Says The Actor Allegedly Went Beyond What Was Agreed
The situation, according to Priya, became more difficult once filming began. She alleged that the actor repeatedly improvised during a song sequence and continued kissing her beyond what she had expected.
“And then there were moments where the actor kept improvising in the song. And he kept kissing me. And me being, I don’t know why. I didn’t take a stand for myself at that point of time. Because I didn’t know how to deal with this.”
Reflecting on that period, Priya acknowledged that she struggled to respond in the moment. Her account highlights how difficult it can be for newcomers to navigate situations involving professional boundaries, particularly when they are still finding their footing in the industry.
The Situation Continued Outside The Set, She Says
Priya further alleged that the actor continued contacting her away from the shoot. At the time, she was working in Bhopal and staying in the same hotel as the actor, although they had separate rooms.
According to the actress, he repeatedly messaged her and suggested meeting for activities including swimming, dinner and breakfast.
“He kept messaging me and asking me to come. And let me teach you how to swim. Then come, let’s go out for dinner. Can I meet you for the breakfast? And I said, I don’t want any of this. This has never happened in my life before. And it shouldn’t happen ever again.”
Priya said she found herself unsure about how to handle the situation and began speaking to her husband, actor Umesh Kamat, about it every night.
Umesh Kamat Flew To Bhopal To Support Her
Priya recalled that she would call Umesh Kamat regularly while shooting in Bhopal. Although she said she did not ask him to travel to the location, Kamat eventually flew from Mumbai to be with her.
“I didn’t know how to deal with this. I was shooting in Bhopal. And I used to call Umesh every night. This was the only set. And I didn’t ask him to come down. But he flew from Mumbai to Bhopal.”
According to Priya, Kamat stayed with her on the set for three days, which she felt helped establish clearer boundaries.
“He just came on the set. And he stayed with me for three days. Just so that the actor gets some understanding. And he kind of backs off. And he kind of understands the boundaries.”
Priya Says It Remains Her Only Such Experience
Despite the difficult incident, Priya said this has been the only experience of this nature that she has encountered during her acting career.
“That is the only experience I have had so far in my acting career.”
Her account has renewed attention on the importance of consent and clearly defined professional boundaries on film sets. It also underlines the challenges performers can face when they are new to the industry and may not know how to respond when a professional interaction moves beyond what was agreed upon.
Priya did not identify the actor in the account. The allegations should therefore be understood as her recollection of the incident, rather than as independently established facts about the unnamed individual.
