Actor Girija Oak, who recently gained massive attention following her appearance in projects like Jawan and Inspector Zende, has offered a refreshingly candid glimpse into the often unromantic and highly technical reality of shooting intimate and romantic scenes, stating that on-screen kissing “feels like kissing cardboard.” In a recent interview, Oak dispelled the myth that romantic scenes involve genuine emotional connection, stressing that the set environment is far removed from the dreamy atmosphere portrayed on screen. Oak revealed that far from being private moments, romantic scenes are shot under intense scrutiny and challenging technical conditions. The environment is often packed with over 100-150 crew members, all watching the actors critically. To prevent the disruption of sound recording, fans and air conditioners are switched off. This results in stifling heat, causing actors to sweat profusely. Actors are constantly being monitored and adjusted for technical reasons. “Someone will come and say the light is less from below, so a piece of thermocol comes in to reflect light on your face. Another person is checking your hair,” she explained.

“In that situation, when so many people are looking at you critically, how will you romance?” she asked, highlighting the difficulty of trying to be emotionally present amid the chaos. When specifically asked about the experience of kissing on screen, the actor was blunt. “Someone asked me how kissing on screen feels. I said it feels like kissing cardboard. There can be no feeling. Everything is mechanical,” she said. She further elaborated that the technical nature of filmmaking often requires emotional close-ups to be shot without the co-actor present. “You’re looking at the camera, or at the corner of a cutter stand. I’ve had the most loving conversations while looking at a piece of thermocol, a black cloth or the corner of a light stand,” Oak recalled, laughing at the impersonal process.

While highlighting the general challenges, Oak did share a positive experience while filming an intimate scene for her upcoming web series, Therapy Sherapy, with co-star Gulshan Devaiah. She praised Devaiah’s professionalism and sensitivity, recounting how he went out of his way to ensure her comfort, including bringing multiple pillows from his vanity van for her to choose from to make the scene less awkward. She noted that he checked on her well-being numerous times during the take, stating, “He must have asked me at least 16 or 17 times, ‘Are you okay?” Oak’s candid breakdown serves as a reality check, pulling back the curtain on the industry and proving that the on-screen chemistry often admired by audiences is a result of technical mastery and sheer acting skill, not genuine intimacy.