Why’s there no kissing in Hindi films?

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">The scene: The 55th Festival de Cannes.<br />The occasion: The Devdas press conference, after the press screening of the film on May 23.<br />Los Angeles journo: Why is no kissing allowed in Indian films?<br />Shah Rukh Khan: I wonder myself – and have done so for 10 years now.<br />Wisecracks apart (and there were many, given Shah Rukh’s presence), it was a triumphant screening.The audience, many on their feet, whooped and cheered. Quite an achievement, given the choosy, phlegmatic folk who inhabit Cannes press shows – again understandable because this is the world’s top cinefest, both artistically and commercially.<br />Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Devdas</span> was a stunning assault on criteria and standards. What were these citizens supposed to make of the towering, sweeping sets, the breathtaking costumes, the mesmerising dances and song sequences? <br />Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and Roman Polanski (all, by the way, with work on view here) simply don’t prepare you for Bollywood at its best. <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Devdas</span> is that. And probably more. Yes, this is the most expensive Indian film ever, coming in at Rs 50 crore. But the high investment alone cannot explain the alchemy of the film. One of the ingredients of success is, of course, the concept and story.<br />This is the ninth version of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyaya’s great novel, written in 1917. The last remake was Bimal Roy’s in 1955, with Dilip Kumar. The director hoped that his film would send audiences, especially young people, back to the 1955 Devdas. Shah Rukh dedicated his performance to Dilip Kumar.<br />The story has been made familiar by just about everything on the Indian silver screen since 1917: childhood sweethearts find the course of true love does not run smooth. But in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Devdas</span>, all this is fired by the heat of great story-telling. <br />In the present film, the tale is further transfigured by the direction and concepts of characterisation and pacing, the script and performances, the art direction and music. Shah Rukh brings exuberance and restraint to the difficult role. Aishwarya, too often dismissed as a lovely face and little more, gives a skilled performance.<br />Madhuri Dixit is outstanding in a role that makes taxing demands on her histrionic and dance abilities. The film will be worth many viewings. </div> </div>