Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh flatly refused to kiss 'good friend' Jacqueline Fernandes while he shot for Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai.
Apparently, this is because of the influence of his good buddy Shah Rukh Khan, who has always adopted a no-kissing policy while acting on screen, says a media report.
Says a source, "Riteish has always adopted a no-kiss policy for all his films. This time, too, for Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai, he refused to kiss Jacqueline even for a crucial scene. Director Milap Zaveri is one of Riteish's closest friends and was beseeching him to kiss Jackie but Ritiesh remained adamant. It was the climax scene when Riteish and Jackie realise their love for each other. The kiss was symbolic of taking their relationship further."
Says Riteish, "It's true that I don't like kissing in films. I have been asked to kiss in many of my films but have always refused. I am a very shy person and kissing is too intimate and personal an act for me to do in front of millions of eyes. I am not comfortable doing it. I can't be detached while kissing someone on screen."
Ritiesh adds that when his director narrated JKSAH to him, Milap had told him about the kissing scene. "When Milap told me about kissing Jackie during the climax I told him that I won't kiss and would rather avoid it completely. But somehow he didn't believe what I said and throughout our shooting kept asking if I would do the scene and I kept telling him that I will think about it fully knowing I'd never do it. But I am not a prude. I'd cringe to see myself kissing on screen but if others do it, I'm fine."
Finally, when it came to shooting the climax, Milap asked Ritiesh again. The actor turned him down. "The whole unit -- except Milap -- knew I wouldn't kiss Jackie. He didn't give up but tried to convince me for nearly 40 minutes. I didn't kiss and finally we ended up shooting a cuter scene which expresses our romance much more than a kiss would have. I stand justified!"
While his director was angry at Ritiesh's adamant stance, his co-star Jacqueline was far more understanding. Says Ritiesh, "When I explained my stand to Jackie, she was fine and understood why I didn't want to do that. It never created unpleasantness between us. The scene was where we know we love each other and the kiss was a culmination of our love. Our alternate worked much better than the kiss. I think it was one of those rare times when the director and heroine wants a kiss but the hero refuses!"
Kissing is out for Ritiesh but are seduction scenes also out? Ritiesh laughs mischievously, "I only spoke about not doing kissing scenes -- who said anything about not doing seduction scenes?"
