Oscar nominated filmmaker Mira Nair said that Tom Cruise doesn’t allow crew members on set to look at him directly in the eyes.

Filmmaker Mira Nair and actor Shabana Azmi spoke about the importance of an actor remaining connected to common people, and how difficult this can become as they become more and more famous. Mira cited the example of Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise, and claimed that he has it stipulated in his contracts that people on set can’t look him directly in the eye. Shabana appeared to be taken aback by this revelation, as Mira continued to claim that it is true, but also seemed to be a little cautious about what she was revealing.

Mira Nair has fostered a long and successful career in Hollywood, and has made films such as Amelia, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and Queen of Katwe. In an interaction with Shabana at the New York Indian Film Festival, Mira asked Shabana how she keeps herself ‘sprightly’ as an actor between roles, to which Shabana replied, “An actor’s resource base has to be life. When you’re alive to everything that is happening around you, that is the fuel, that is the experience. Because what happens with stars is that as they become bigger and bigger, they move away from life completely. You get into an ivory tower, and there’s no chance that you will have even the slightest contact with the real world.”

Mira concurred, and said, “Tom Cruise has in his contract that you cannot meet his eyes. You’re not allowed to look at him in the eyes.” Shabana was surprised. She asked, “Why?” And Mira replied, “I don’t know! But it’s in the contract, I’m telling you. Serious. Maybe he believes that his juice will be robbed by people perhaps, let’s conserve it for the screen. I don’t know. But this is real.”

Shabana asked if this applies to people in real life or on set, and asked, “If I don’t look at you, how can I act?” Mira replied with a laugh, “The actors and directors can (look at him). But not aam log. I’m telling you. Anyway, this might have changed. I shouldn’t be talking so much about somebody I’ve only just seen and not been able to see… But in any case, it is true.

Cruise is known to be a demanding presence on film sets. Several of his co-stars have spoken glowingly about how involved he is in all aspects of filmmaking. During production on the latest Mission: Impossible film, a leaked audio recording of Cruise berating a crew member for allegedly breaching pandemic protocol went viral. In his tirade, the actor-producer claimed that the entire industry was relying on the success of productions like Mission: Impossible to find a way out of that difficult period.

One of the few negative comments about Cruise’s work ethic were voiced by his Mission: Impossible II co-star Thandiwe Newton, who accused him of pushing her into ‘terror and insecurity’ on the film’s set. “He was a very dominant individual,” she told Vulture. “He tries super hard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot. And I think he has this sense that only he can do everything as best as it can be done.”