‘Lust Stories 3’ actor Anirudh Surya has opened up about the precautions followed while filming intimate scenes, amid Radhika Apte‘s recent revelation about an intimate clip from one of her projects being leaked online. The actor stressed the importance of strict safety protocols, intimacy coordinators, NDAs and a no-phone policy on sets to protect actors and prevent unauthorised footage from being recorded or circulated.
‘Lust Stories 3’ actor Anirudh Surya reacts to Radhika Apte’s intimate scene leak
Anirudh Surya, who featured in Vikramaditya Motwane‘s segment of ‘Lust Stories 3’, shared his perspective in an exclusive conversation with Mid-Day. While he had limited scenes with Radhika Apte, the actor acknowledged how uncomfortable and violating such an incident could be for an actor.“There are intimate scenes in many movies, which is why we have intimacy coordinators. It is a part of what we do. But yes, it can be uncomfortable. I haven’t performed an intimate scene yet because I haven’t worked that much, and I have always been more in the comedy zone. I haven’t really experienced it, but I can only imagine that it would be uncomfortable, as intimacy is something private and it was being intentionally recorded. Anything private wouldn’t be comfortable,” he said.Anirudh Surya further explained that film sets generally have contractual safeguards in place when it comes to unauthorised recording and circulation of footage. He pointed out that crew members are bound by NDAs and contracts, although he admitted that he did not know how the footage involving Radhika Apte was recorded or leaked.“Technically speaking, there is a very strong NDA and a contract that everyone on the set is bound by. So, if it’s unofficial footage, it shouldn’t get leaked, 100 per cent. I don’t know what happened; I can only assume that perhaps someone from the crew or someone from outside would have recorded on their phone. Usually, the crew cannot do that. They don’t do that because they sign contracts and can get into a lot of trouble if something like this happens,” the actor added.
Anirudh Surya says phones are generally not allowed during intimate scenes
The ‘Kanneda’ actor also spoke about the restrictions around mobile phones on sets while intimate scenes are being filmed. Although Surya clarified that he has not personally performed an intimate scene and therefore could not speak about the exact protocol followed in every production, he said he understood that phones are generally prohibited.“As I said, I haven’t been part of an intimate scene, so I don’t know what actually happens. But I believe phones aren’t allowed. Ho sakta hai koi phone saath le gaya ho, ya kisi ne record kar liya ho (It’s possible someone took a phone inside with them, or someone might have recorded it), you know, in that manner,” he said.The actor suggested that enforcing a strict no-phone policy could be one way of reducing the possibility of unauthorised recordings. Surya believes stronger precautions should be taken when intimate sequences are being filmed, particularly to protect actors from having private footage circulated without their consent.“So, I think the only thing one could do is to ensure that there are no phones on the set so that something like this doesn’t happen,” he concluded.
Radhika Apte recalls being unable to leave home for four days after intimate scene leak
Recently, Radhika Apte recalled the deeply distressing aftermath of an intimate clip from one of her earlier projects being leaked online, saying the incident affected not just her public image but also her sense of safety at home. She said she was too frightened to step outside for four days as people around her began discussing and viewing the clip.“Once something I had done was leaked, I literally couldn’t step out of the house for four days. The problem is that it can come home very quickly. Your doorbell can ring, and somebody can be outside your house because they felt offended. So, it’s not that easy. It’s much more complicated,” she told India Today.
Anirudh Surya in ‘Lust Stories 3’
Anirudh Surya recently appeared in filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane’s segment of ‘Lust Stories 3’, featuring an ensemble cast that includes Vijay Varma, Abhishek Banerjee, and Konkona Sen Sharma. The anthology film is currently available for streaming on Netflix. The anthology is the third instalment in the ‘Lust Stories’ franchise and explores relationships, desire, intimacy and the complexities of modern relationships through different stories and filmmakers.
