Rasika Dugal on Intimate Scenes in Mirzapur: Why Intimacy Coordinators Matter on Film Sets

Rasika Dugal has spoken about the changing approach to filming intimate scenes in Indian productions, explaining how intimacy coordinators can help actors establish boundaries, understand what will be filmed and feel safer during sensitive sequences. Reflecting on her experience with Mirzapur, the actor said the role brings greater clarity and professionalism to an aspect of filmmaking that can otherwise be difficult to navigate.

Intimate scenes can be among the most complicated sequences to film.

They require actors to perform emotionally vulnerable moments while also following precise instructions about movement, framing and camera placement. Unlike an ordinary dialogue scene, there can be additional questions around physical boundaries, consent and who needs to be present on set.

According to Rasika Dugal, the growing use of intimacy coordinators has helped address many of those concerns.

Speaking to ANI, the actor explained that an intimacy coordinator functions much like a specialist professional responsible for coordinating other technically demanding sequences.

Rasika Dugal compares intimacy coordinators with action and dance specialists

Dugal drew a comparison between intimacy coordinators and the professionals who oversee choreography and action.

“For intimacy scenes in particular, nowadays we have intimacy coordinators, which is a very important thing, so that nobody is kind of violated in any way and everyone’s concerns are properly taken care of,” she said.

She compared the role with having a choreographer for a dance sequence or a fight master for an action scene.

The comparison highlights an important aspect of intimate filmmaking: these scenes are not simply improvised moments between actors. They can involve carefully planned movements, camera angles and predetermined boundaries.

Dugal said actors can discuss what they are and are not comfortable with before filming begins.

The process allows the director’s creative requirements to be discussed alongside the performers’ boundaries.

Actors can discuss boundaries before filming

For Dugal, one of the biggest advantages of the process is the opportunity to address concerns before the cameras roll.

She explained that the team can discuss an intimate scene beforehand, establish what each actor is comfortable doing and then determine how the intended effect can be achieved.

“If somebody is uncomfortable with something, we try and find another way to sort of have that same effect, but without making anybody feel uncomfortable,” she said.

That approach can be particularly important because a scene may have several possible ways of being filmed.

A director may want a particular emotional impact, but the exact physical action used to create that impact can sometimes be modified.

The aim is to preserve the storytelling requirement without unnecessarily crossing an actor’s stated boundary.

What happens on a closed set?

Dugal also highlighted another element of the process: knowing exactly who is required during a sensitive scene.

She explained that actors can request a closed set, limiting access to essential personnel.

“You know exactly what is going to happen on set. You know, you can ask for a closed set,” she said.

According to Dugal, the intimacy coordinator can help determine which members of the crew need to be present for the shot and ensure that people who are not required are not on set.

This can remove some of the uncertainty surrounding intimate filming.

Instead of leaving responsibility for the situation unclear, there is a designated person coordinating the process.

Dugal described this as making the environment more professional and properly organised.

How Mirzapur handled intimate scenes in its early days

Dugal also looked back at the making of the first season of Mirzapur.

She noted that intimacy coordinators were not yet a common concept within Indian productions when the show was filmed.

While the practice was already more established in some Western film industries, Dugal said the Mirzapur unit nevertheless took steps to make sure she understood how the intimate sequences would be shot.

She recalled that the directors discussed the scenes with her beforehand and gave her an opportunity to raise concerns.

The actor said she knew what shots she would be doing and how they would be filmed.

That advance discussion, she explained, gave her the space to say no if she was uncomfortable with something.

Consent does not begin when the camera starts rolling

Dugal’s comments underline a principle that has become increasingly important in film production: consent needs to be part of the planning process rather than treated as an issue that arises only during filming.

For an intimate sequence, performers need clarity about the scene before they perform it.

That can include discussions about the nature of the scene, physical contact, choreography, camera positioning, coverage and the personnel required on the set.

The more clearly these elements are established beforehand, the fewer surprises an actor is likely to encounter once filming begins.

It also gives productions a structured way to respond if a performer raises a concern.

Intimacy coordination has changed the conversation around sensitive scenes

The emergence of intimacy coordination reflects a wider shift in the entertainment industry towards more formalised practices around sensitive material.

Traditionally, responsibility for managing intimate sequences could fall to directors, assistant directors, actors or other members of the production team.

Dugal’s recollection of Mirzapur illustrates how that responsibility could be handled even before dedicated intimacy coordinators became more common in Indian productions.

But having a specialist professional can provide a clearer point of contact.

It also allows conversations about boundaries to happen in a structured environment rather than leaving individual actors to negotiate difficult situations on their own.

Why intimate scenes require careful choreography

An intimate scene may appear spontaneous on screen, but filming it can be highly technical.

The actors may have to repeat the same movements several times. Camera operators need precise positioning. Lighting and sound teams must coordinate around the performers. Directors may require multiple angles or takes.

That makes preparation particularly important.

A carefully planned sequence can also help actors concentrate on performance rather than worrying about what might happen next.

Dugal’s comments suggest that predictability is one of the major benefits of having a coordinator involved.

When performers know the boundaries and mechanics of a scene in advance, they have a clearer understanding of what they are agreeing to perform.

Rasika Dugal stresses the importance of the system

Looking back at her experience, Dugal was particularly emphatic about the value of intimacy coordinators.

She said she could not emphasise their importance enough and described the role as “very important.”

Her comments come as Mirzapur continues to remain one of the most recognisable titles associated with India’s streaming boom, with its characters and storylines becoming widely known among OTT audiences.

The conversation around the series, however, extends beyond its popularity.

For Dugal, her experience working on intimate sequences also offers an example of how production practices can evolve.

A more structured approach benefits everyone

The central idea behind intimacy coordination is relatively straightforward: sensitive scenes should be planned with the same level of professionalism applied to other specialised sequences.

Actors should know what they are expected to perform.

Directors should be able to communicate their creative requirements.

Crew members should understand who needs to be present.

And performers should have a clear mechanism through which they can raise concerns.

Dugal’s experience suggests that these principles can coexist with ambitious storytelling.

Her recollection of Mirzapur also shows that sensitive filmmaking does not necessarily depend on the presence of a formal intimacy coordinator alone. Communication, preparation and respect for an actor’s boundaries can play an important role as well.

As Indian cinema and streaming productions continue to tackle increasingly complex and mature stories, the conversation around how those stories are made is becoming just as significant as the scenes audiences eventually see on screen.