By Subhash K. Jha

Mumbai, Jul 30 (IANS): Deepika Padukone has kissed Saif Ali Khan on screen, but her new co-star Neil Nitin Mukesh was a virgin kisser on camera. The conservative actor had no choice but to succumb to a liplock for Yashraj Films' "Lafange Parindey".

Neil has pulled out the plug on his no-kissing clause as he was virtually forced to do a long, lingering kissing scene with Deepika.

Director Pradeep Sarkar and Deepika had to use every possible power of persuasion before Neil abandoned his chastity vow.

"At first Neil was totally against the kiss with Deepika. He has refused to kiss in all his films," said a source close to the project.

"In fact his first director, Sriram Raghavan, threw a fit when Neil refused to kiss Rimi Sen. In his second film, 'Tera Kya Hoga Johnny', director Sudhir Mishra insisted Neil kiss Shahana Goswami, but the actor refused. Even in 'Jail' where there was a love-making scene with Mugdha Godse, Neil refused to kiss," the source added.

Conservative to the core, Neil plunged into his first kiss only after the director assured him that the romantic relationship needed a culmination.

"Pradeep persuaded Neil and he finally saw his director's point of view. But the actor was nervous. Deepika had kissed before on screen. Not Neil," the source said.

"He first suggested a peck. But was finally persuaded to do a long, torrid smooch comparable in intensity and duration with Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor's kiss in 'Raja Hindustani'," the source added.

When contacted, Neil said: "I can't talk about this. But, yes, we've gone completely by the requirements of the script. And 'Lafange Parinde' is my first love story."