Lights, camera, controversy! Indian cinema and its OTT siblings thrive on dramatic tension, and sometimes that tension comes from unexpected romance across age gaps. These 10 actresses (mostly from web series and indie films) reportedly locked lips with significantly younger co‑actors, all because the script demanded it. Here’s your cheeky breakdown:
1. Shefali Shah (49) kissed Roshan Mathew (~30) in Darlings (2022)
Shefali Shah, at nearly 50, delivered one of the most talked-about high‑jinks in Darlings, when her character Shamshu unexpectedly kisses the much younger Zulfi, played by Roshan Mathew. The scene came unexpectedly; as Shefali says, “when I read the script…I thought, ‘hain, ye kya ho gaya’” because it took her by surprise. It’s bold, tender, unexpected, and exactly the kind of boundary‑pushing cinema this list lives for.
2. Amruta Subhash (42) & Neel Raj Dewan (~22) in Bombay Begums (2021)
Amruta Subhash is celebrated for her gritty roles, and in Bombay Begums, she played a hooker who locks lips with a young client, allegedly Neel Raj Dewan, aged around 22. That show deals with desire across class, age, and morality. Amruta Subhash starred in Bombay Begums in her early 40s, and Netflix did come up with boundary pushing cinema in India.
3. Suchitra Pillai (50) & Anuja Joshi (27) in Hello Mini Season 3 (2021)
Veteran VJ‑actor Suchitra Pillai reportedly shared a pool‑side kiss with younger star Anuja Joshi in Hello Mini, where themes of obsession and seduction run wild. Suchitra was 50 at the time, Anuja 27. The show was already widely popular for its steamy scenes, adding a lip lock scene of Suchitra Pillai and Anuja Joshi just hyped the series multiple folds.
4. Shabana Azmi (46) & Nandita Das (27) in Fire (1996)
Fire was Bollywood’s first girl‑on‑girl kiss, between Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das. While that famous scene stirred headlines, the reported age gap (~19 years) hasn’t been the focus, and no confirmed age‑ratio context exists in interviews. International controversy overshadowed the age angle. Still, it was bold for its time, and Shabana was around her mid‑40s then.
5. Tabu (49) & Ishaan Khatter (25) in A Suitable Boy (2020)
Many viewers noted Tabu’s character’s affair with young Ishaan Khatter’s in A Suitable Boy. There’s clear age disparity and implied intimacy in the show between the two characters. Tabu was around 50 during filming; Ishaan about 25, almost half the age. The show hinted at sensuality, but clearly it was script demand.
6. Shernaz Patel (51) & Neil Bhoopalam (32) in Bang Baazaa Baarat (2015)
In Y-Films experimental web series Bang Baaja Baarat, Shernaz Patel plays a divorced mother character who kisses her much younger date, played by Neil Bhoopalam. She’d have been around 51, and he was about 32 when the series came out. Reviews mention romantic gags around age‑gap dating. On top of that, the behind the scenes kissing scene shows the awkwardness of actors performing the scene.
7. Shilpa Shukla (30) & Shadab Kamal (21) in BA Pass (2013)
BA Pass explores a teen’s seduction by an older woman. Shilpa Shukla’s 30‑year‑old character engages with a 21‑year‑old Shadab Kamal in sometimes explicit scenes. The age gap and erotic tension fit the tone.
8. Rajshri Deshpande (42) & Taruk Mehta (30) in Rangeen (2025)
In Rangeen, Rajshri Deshpande plays a dissatisfied married woman who hires a younger gigolo, Taruk Mehta (aged ~30). They share romantic scenes that include kissing, and other forms of intimacy as well.
9. Swastika Mukherjee (42) & Plabita Borthakur (30) in Escaype Live (2022)
Swastika’s OTT roles often push limits. Her 2022 web series Escaype Live featured a non‑consensual forced kiss scene with younger co-actor Plabita Borthakur. The scene was a big hype for the web series that time.
10. Shefali Shah (49) & Kirti Kulhari (37) in Humans (2022)
Shefali apparently shared a steamy same‑sex arc with Kirti Kulhari in Humans; Shefali aged 49, Kirti 37. The scene feels more nuanced with the fact that the show is created by Shefali Shah’s husband Vipul Shah. The actors pointed out in interviews that it was a normal scene and they do enjoy kissing each other.
These moments show Indian screenwriters and actresses pushing boundaries, flirting with age‑gap taboo, queering conventions, and delivering moments that make headlines. The list shows script‑driven age‑gap intimacy that stunned fans and media alike.