The Bengal Story Bureau: MUMBAI: Filming intimate sequences often involves technical repetition, but the Azhar kissing scene between Emraan Hashmi and Nargis Fakhri remains a memorable behind the scenes anecdote. According to recent claims by an entertainment journalist, frustration over endless retakes during the 2016 sports biopic prompted Fakhri to take matters into her own hands, leaving her co-star gasping for breath.
The Azhar Kissing Scene Retakes
The incident occurred while the actors were shooting a romantic sequence for the Tony D’Souza directorial, where Hashmi portrayed cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin and Fakhri played actress Sangeeta Bijlani. Speaking on Siddharth Kannan’s podcast, a veteran entertainment journalist revealed that the director called for nearly 15 to 20 retakes of a particular kissing scene.
Fakhri reportedly grew confused and annoyed as the retakes piled up. Believing that the crew was playing a prank on her, she suspected that everyone on set was simply enjoying the awkward situation at her expense.
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An Unexpected Reaction
When the director finally called the final cut and approved the shot, Fakhri decided to react to the supposed prank. The journalist noted that the actress pulled Hashmi towards her and kissed him forcefully.
The intensity of the sudden kiss caught the actor off guard. Reports suggest that Hashmi found it difficult to breathe and felt claustrophobic for a brief moment after the director had already ended the scene.
Professionalism Amid Awkwardness
While the recent podcast sheds new light on the specific moment, Fakhri has previously been vocal about her discomfort during the film’s production. In a 2016 interview with PTI, she mentioned finding the numerous retakes ridiculous and joked about charging the producers an extra fee for the repeated intimate shots.
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Despite the on set awkwardness, Fakhri maintained that Hashmi was a thorough professional who made his co-stars feel comfortable. The biographical drama went on to release in May 2016, with the romantic sequences forming a key part of the narrative surrounding the controversial cricketer’s personal life.
