Kiss Day, generally a day to celebrate love, usually tends to be engulfed in controversy, particularly in Bollywood. Through the years, public displays of affection—most often involving celebrities—have caused scandals, legal proceedings, and furious debates. From surprise kisses at functions to intimate moments that entered the limelight, these episodes have become indelibly marked in Bollywood’s pop culture memory.
Udit Narayan’s Controversial Selfie Kiss
Recently, a video of playback singing legend Udit Narayan kissing women fans on the lips while taking a selfie caused an online furore. Fans were left disappointed, and social media saw intense debates about the singer’s behavior. The act raised eyebrows over personal boundaries and the acceptability of such an act in the limelight.
Udit Narayan kissing a female fan on the lips during a “Concert”, while she came to take a selfie, has sparked massive reaction from netizens- What kind of behavior is this? pic.twitter.com/nCClumY3TQ
— Megh Updates ™ (@MeghUpdates) February 1, 2025
Shilpa Shetty and Richard Gere’s Legal Battle
When in 2007 Hollywood actor Richard Gere’s cheek kiss with Shilpa Shetty in an AIDS awareness campaign in India created a storm of lawsuits, the kiss itself was declared as obscene by certain people and for that reason Shilpa had to face allegations of obscenity. She spent 15 long years in this legal fight, only to get acquitted of every charge, to highlight the Indian cultural sensitivity issues of public kisses.
Deepika Padukone and Siddharth Mallya’s IPL Kiss
Deepika Padukone and Siddharth Mallya’s victory kiss at Eden Gardens following an IPL match between RCB and KKR in 2011 sent the social media community into a tizzy. The romantic kiss was caught on camera, with headlines and trending on social media overnight. The event generated discussions about celebrities’ behavior in the public eye.
Mika Singh’s Forced Kiss Controversy
In 2006, pop singer Mika Singh’s forced kiss on Rakhi Sawant at his birthday celebration triggered a furore. Rakhi charged Mika with misconduct, and he defended that it was a consensual act. This created a police case and a country-wide controversy regarding consent and celebrities’ behavior, further abetted by Mika’s follow-up song “Pappi Kyu Li.”
Cristiano Ronaldo and Bipasha Basu’s Kiss Scandal
In 2007, images of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo kissing Bollywood star Bipasha Basu splashed the headlines. The kiss sent tongues wagging, particularly because Bipasha was dating actor John Abraham at the time, giving the already dramatic kiss an element of intrigue.
