Nose-to-nose kissing scene: Mahira Khan says she was scared to be intimate with Shah Rukh Khan

Actor shared that while the crew made fun of her, they agreed on a step that worked for both of them

Superstar Mahira Khan, who made her Bollywood debut with Raees opposite Shah Rukh Khan, recently opened up about her experience shooting romantic scenes with the Kal Ho Naa Ho actor. Despite their chemistry being well-liked by fans, it turns out that Mahira was initially hesitant about the intimate scenes in the song Zaalima – especially with her ‘no kissing rule.’

According to the Times of India, Mahira, in Anupama Chopra’s podcast All About Movies, admitted that she wanted to draw some boundaries while filming the song Zaalima and do nothing “objectionable.” She said, "I was scared ke 'kuch zyada na ho jaaye (we don’t cross the line)' because I didn't want to do anything that's objectionable.” She further added that everyone on the set made fun of her because of this, including Shah Rukh, who teased her about it.

“You can’t kiss me. Since you can’t kiss me here, you can’t do this, I used to say. Of course, he used to find it amusing as well. He would make fun of me by saying, ‘I’m not sure what we have to do in the next scene,’” she said, adding that with all her apprehensions and limitations, the crew decided on a kiss that worked for both of them.

“We didn't know what to do in the hook step of Zaalima, and it became a joke that since nothing else can happen, they should go for nose-to-nose kissing," Mahira said, laughing about the memory. “If you watch closely, Shah Rukh Khan merely does a small nose thing throughout the entire song. He said, ‘Will this be alright? Is this all okay with you?’ and In my heart, I was like, ‘What do you know?'” she sighed.

Although hesitant initially, the Legend of Maula Jatt star stated that she eventually warmed up to the idea. "Raees was my first film and I was shy. I didn't know how it worked, but in the end, it was okay," she said. "It's just a happy memory now."

Raees was directed by Rahul Dholakia and also starred Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The film was a box office success, and the song Zaalima remains popular with audiences even today.

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