Did You Know Panchayat’s Saanvika Refused To Do Kissing Scene, Was Later Convinced By Jitendra Kumar?
Saanvika, who plays Rinki in Panchayat, has become a favourite now but behind the camera, her experience wasn't always smooth!
Saanvika, who plays Rinki in Panchayat, has become a favourite now but behind the camera, her experience wasn’t always smooth. Talking to Just Too Filmy in a recent interview, the young star opened up on how she felt initially while shooting an intimate scene with co-actor Jitendra Kumar and how the crew addressed her concerns sensitively. Read on to find out what she said about the experience,
Saanvika On Filming Kissing Scene In Panchayat?
Reminding us of the time when the kissing scene was originally discussed, Saanvika related that nothing was said at the time of the first narration of the scripts. It was much later when director Deepak Kumar Mishra came to her and said there was a change a kiss between Rinki and Abhishek (Sachiv Ji) had been inserted into the season. The scene was initially supposed to be in a car, Rinki slipping over and the kiss naturally happening afterwards.
But Saanvika was not instantly persuaded. “I had requested two days of thinking on it,” she said, explaining that the prospect of Panchayat being viewed by families all over India held her back. In the end, she broke her word and withdrew. The team behind the show, she said, was understanding of her decision and switched accordingly.
In place of the original, more invasive scene, a less intrusive moment was introduced the highly-discussed water tank scene. While meant to be tastefully shot, Saanvika did say it still felt weird when they were filming it. But she gives credit to Jitendra Kumar for making the mood as comfortable and professional as possible. “Jeetu is amazingly supportive. He actually made things feel less awkward,” she said.
Also Read: What Is Panchayat Season 4 Cast Fees Ft Jitendra, Neena Gupta, And Others?
As for her family’s take on it? So far, the topic hasn’t come up at home, but Saanvika is confident they’ll understand and support her choices.
Shot on location in the make-believe village of Phulera, Panchayat was a hit with Indian viewers for its realness. The latest season is available to watch on Prime Video.
First Published: July 01, 2025 2:18 PM
