Rajeev Khandelwal Called Himself a “Trendsetter” for That Bold Kiss Scene in Reporters

There are bold scenes, and then there are scenes that define a show. Rajeev Khandelwal’s infamous kiss-and-slap moment with Kritika Kamra in the 2015 Sony TV drama Reporters falls firmly in the second category. And now, the actor has finally opened up about what was really going through his head when he agreed to shoot it.

Spoiler: it involved a fair bit of arrogance — and he knew it.

Rajeev Khandelwal & the Reporters Kiss Scene

“I Knew I Deserved the Slap” — Rajeev’s Candid Take

In an exclusive interview promoting his latest show Amar Viswas, Rajeev Khandelwal reflected on the now-iconic scene, calling himself a “trendsetter” without an ounce of hesitation. His reasoning? The scene wasn’t just drama for drama’s sake. It was a brilliant bit of character shorthand — one moment that instantly told viewers everything about who these two people were.

Rajeev explained that the scene depicted an arrogant man in a position of power who assumes he can get away with anything — until a strong woman delivers a well-deserved slap that resets the power dynamic entirely. His conscience, he said, was very much alive during filming. He knew he was playing someone who had it coming, and that clarity made the whole thing work.

As for any awkwardness shooting the scene with Kritika Kamra? He was refreshingly candid — since his co-star was, in his own words, “pretty,” he had absolutely no complaints. And getting slapped? That didn’t bother him either, because he knew the character earned it.

It’s this kind of self-aware, thoughtful approach to storytelling that has always set Rajeev apart. For more on bold Indian TV moments that reshaped the small screen, check out our entertainment coverage at TechnoSports.

Why Reporters Was Ahead of Its Time

Reporters was a refreshing break from the saas-bahu formula that dominated Indian TV in 2015. A newsroom drama set against the high-pressure world of journalism, it gave audiences morally complex characters and real tension — something Indian primetime rarely offered back then.

The Rajeev-Kritika pairing brought exactly the kind of electric chemistry the show needed, and that one scene became its calling card.

Rajeev is currently making waves again with Amar Viswas. Stay tuned to TechnoSports for the latest updates on your favourite TV stars.

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