Mandana Karimi: Post COVID-19, intimate scenes on screen will change

By Arundhuti Banerjee  

Mumbai, June 10 Model-turned-actress Mandana Karimi, who plays the female protagonist in the upcoming web series “The Casino”, says shooting of intimate scenes post COVID-19 will change keeping social distancing in mind. However, she adds that such practice has been happening on Iranian films for ages.

“I think post COVID-19 the projection of intimate scenes on-screen and the shooting of such scenes is going to change. We all know the new rules and how social distancing is going to be a part of our culture. It is also true that even if we get the assurance that all is safe, it is going to stay in our mind for long,” Mandana told IANS.

“Having said that, me being an Iranian, I have seen so many Iranian films where intimacy in a relationship has been shown without any skin showing. As an artiste, as a storyteller, we always find a way to tell a story, show things that we would like to show. So I think, in the coming times, we will find our way to project intimacy on-screen, and following social distancing. We have a reference in Iranian cinema,” she smiled.

Mandana’s new show “The Casino” revolves around a rich yet humble boy Vicky who is the heir to his father’s multi-billion-dollar casino. It is set to unfold a world of mystery and conspiracy in high society. In the show, she plays a power-hungry woman named Rehana.

On her character, she said: “It is quite interesting that she is not a dark or a pure character, she is grey. She is real. She has a soft corner for one man but she is power-hungry. She knows the human mind so well that whenever she needs something, she presses the right button to get her things done. At one point of time in the story, she is even shown as someone who is interested in women. You really have to watch her!”

The show is very special because it marks her debut in the digital space.

“I never had such a body of work in the past so I am very thankful to (director) Hardik (Gajjar) sir for trusting me,” said Mandana who made her Bollywood debut with ‘Bhaag Johnny’ in 2015.

As the show has several intimate scenes, Mandana said: “The only question that I was asked was if I had inhibitions in doing intimate scenes. Honestly, I put my points on the table. I said, ‘sir, are you showing sex and intimacy onscreen to attack the audience or there is a logical explanation to the action, to establish the character?’ When I went through the script and understood the importance of it, I agreed to do it.”

The show also features Karanvir Bohra, Sudhanshu Pandey, Aindrita Ray, and Dhanveer Singh. Directed by Hardik Gajjar ‘The Casino’ releases on Zee5 on June 12.

(Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in)