Kirti Kulhari Opens Up About Kissing Co-Star Shefali Shah In ‘Human’

Shefali Shah and Kirti Kulhari feature in the key roles of Human, a medical thriller. The show, directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and Mozez Singh, delves into the murky area of human medical studies. According to the show’s official summary,

“A pharma giant is using India’s lax clinical trial rules to fast track the development of a new drug, despite lethal side effects. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Dr Saira Sabharwal lands a dream job in Bhopal’s premier hospital under the mentorship of the iconic 45-year-old Dr Gauri Nath. Saira grows under Gauri’s tutelage and as the two women start to form a deep bond over their commitment to the medical cause. However, a shocking discovery throws their life into chaos as their story becomes intertwined with that of a young migrant worker, Mangu, who is all set to wreak havoc on the medical system.”

Below is the official trailer of this show

The show also includes a discussion of homosexuality, and Kirti is required to share an intimate moment with Shefali.

Kirti Kulhari talks about portraying a queer and having chemistry with the female main actress in an interview with Hindustan Times. When Kirti was asked about it, she stated,

“There are times our (Shefali and Kirti’s) hands touch (in the show), and we also have a kissing scene. I mean, of course, I am an actor, of course, I am up for it; but it is still strange for me. I have never done this before. It is still strange for me to create that chemistry for a woman, to really give the expressions I would, falling for a guy. It is different.”

She went on to say,

“I did go from one point to another. I knew no preparation could prepare me for it, it was at that moment. I had to wire myself in a way to go beyond the idea of genders and that is when I realized it is not about whether it is a man or a woman in front of me but about the feeling, it is about what I am feeling for the person.”

The actress remarked when asked about filming the kissing scene in Human,

“I think the most nervous person for the kissing scene was my director Mozez Singh. I was only (thinking) ‘what if I kiss her and feel something, what if I get turned on?’ That will be something, I will then have to sit back and think if I am also looking at women. That is the only thing I had. We did not rehearse. My director made us do some 8-10 takes for getting different angles of the kiss. We did it the first time, and we were like ‘ok,’ I was relieved thinking ‘thank God koi feeling nahi aya (there was no feeling)’. Then Mozez came back and asked us to give more takes.”

She went on to say,

“After the first couple of takes, we went at it like robots. That is what it is, sex on screen, or kissing on screen. People wonder about it but it is the most boring thing. You have 100 people around and there is no privacy. You are at the mercy of your director saying ‘action-cut, action-cut.’ You do not have the time for feeling, trust me.”

Kirti further said that Shefali informed her that it was the first time she had kissed on camera.

She also emphasised how the show has let her see the world from a fresh perspective and comprehend it beyond genders. She concluded,

“I went beyond genders and that is a very liberating space for me. Somehow we are wired as a society that it is always about male versus female. So much is defined based on your gender.”

Kirti’s character in Human, as well as her famous show Criminal Justice, spent most of their life in denial.

When asked if she has ever encountered such situations in her life, she said,

“I am sure it happened in my relationships. I guess it happens to a lot of people as well. When you are with someone, you want to believe things are in a certain way. I can give examples of relationships right now, not just my marriage but also other relationships I have had. When you step out, things start making sense and you can put two and two together.”