Kissing scenes scare Tena Desae

Model-turned-actress Tena Desae, who did an intimate scene in British comedy-drama "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", says such scenes are scary for her.

But she is thankful to co-actor Dev Patel for his support while shooting the scene.

"A kissing sequence is still a nightmare for me. Luckily, I got through 'The Best...' with the help of Dev. He downplayed everything so that I stay confident. But it's still something which worries me," she told IANS.

Directed by John Madden, known for directing Oscar winning movie "Shakespeare In Love", "The Best..." also starred Judi Dench and Bill Nighy.

It released here May 13.

Hailing from Bangalore, Tena shifted base to here with the dream of becoming an actor. She says movies had an impact on her life.

"For the longest time, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was clueless. I watched some movies and I realised nothing moved me as much as movies. When I watch a sad film, I can cry for days. Acting just felt the right option," said the 25-year-old.

Tena debuted in Hindi films in 2011 with "Yeh Faasley", which also starred Anupam Kher.

Before entering movies, she worked as a model.

Explaining her move, she said: "I decided to enter into acting through modelling. It seemed like a smarter decision to be in advertisements, which are 30 seconds long, so you have a show reel when you go to directors as opposed to someone who didn't. I was really lucky that the plan worked."

"After modelling, you get used to the camera, you understand lighting. It gave me a sense of familiarity," she said.