Sandeepa Dhar: 'Men Really Need to Understand About Female Desire'

Pyar Ka Professor, a recently released Delhi-based comedy-romance web series, has quickly become the talk of the town. The show explores the intricate emotional and sexual dynamics of a woman navigating relationships with both her husband and lover. Speaking to SheThePeople, lead actor Sandeepa Dhar shares how the series arrived at a time when audiences are more receptive to bold and unconventional storytelling.

Sandeepa Dhar On Changing Narrative Around Women’s Pleasure

Sandeepa feels the show's success reflects society's growing acceptance of female desire and agency, saying, "Pyaar Ka Professor has come into my life at a time where I feel like society is also very ready to make that shift and change. If it had come earlier, maybe people wouldn’t have even accepted it. But the fact that people have given me so much love for my role as Malika just shows how much society has progressed."

Describing Malika, Sandeepa highlights how the character breaks free from the rigid good-versus-bad portrayal of women in mainstream narratives. She says, "Earlier, female leads were either the morally correct heroine or the vamp who did wrong things. But humans are flawed. We make mistakes, learn, and move on. Malika is independent, strong, sharp, and sophisticated, but behind this confident woman, there's a vulnerable girl on her journey of self-discovery. She thinks she wants one thing but realises through the show that she wants something completely different."

One of the boldest aspects of the show is how it addresses the often-overlooked subject of women’s pleasure. "The fact is, men don’t really understand women's pleasure. Sex has always been about the man and his pleasure. Most men don’t even know how to pleasure a woman or why it’s equally important, " she explains. 

It’s such a taboo topic for women—if a woman talks about sex, she’s suddenly labelled bad, which shouldn’t be the case. I hope we talk about it more and normalise it. In a way, I hope the show teaches men a little about what women want and how to give it to them."

She hopes the show serves as a conversation starter, offering men a deeper understanding of what women truly want and how to respect those needs. "I’m glad we’ve addressed this in a way that isn’t crass or vulgar. It’s relevant and dignified. So many women have told me they watched it with their girlfriends and felt relieved that someone finally spoke about this. In a way, I hope the show teaches men a little about what women want and how to give it to them," she adds. 

The Realities of Shooting Intimate Scenes

When asked about another common assumption, that filming intimate scenes is effortless, the actor was quick to break the myth. "Most people think we have fun shooting these scenes, but in reality, it’s the most awkward thing to do. There are crew members around, a boom guy two inches away, a cameraman right there—it’s far from personal. I’d rather shoot regular scenes, but sometimes, these moments are important to the story

No matter how friendly you are with your co-star, it’s never easy. It’s stressful and taxing. That’s why intimacy coordinators are there, to ensure professionalism and comfort. We treat it like any other scene, but the truth is, it’s not fun."