Men under pressure to look good!

Tables have turned. Thanks to social media sensations like David Beckham who strips down to bare essentials in a rash of new H&M campaigns and films like Fifty Shades of Grey which features the former Calvin Klein sensation Jamie Dornan taking off his shirt every 15 minutes - Indian men too are slowly succumbing to the pressure to have flat stomachs, broad, well-defined shoulders, if not exactly the elusive six-pack abs. One look at the city's gym scene and one can vouch men from different age groups and walks of life easily outnumber women. However, not many of these gym enthusiasts understand that most of these bodies flashed on Instagram and YouTube are heavily airbrushed and one's genetic make-up majorly determines one's body type.  

In an interview with this newspaper actor Arjun Kapoor had lamented about his endless battle with weight. He had shared, ""Once a fat kid, always a fat kid. Today, when I was trying on clothes for the shoot, I was praying, 'I hope they ­fit'. The pressure's still there, it's there at the back of my mind, 'Hope I look good today, hope I haven't put on weight'. I mean, you know, Priyanka, Anushka, all these guys eat, yaar. Priyanka is a guy when it comes to her appetite, but she works really hard at the gym. Anushka's a really beautiful woman, but I always wonder where the food goes. She's got this fantastic body despite being hungry, literally, every hour, and take Ranbir. He eats, but he's always been lean. If I put on two kilos, it shows. I never want to live my life in a way where I don't look forward to eating. It gives me genuine happiness."

Actor Sushant Singh Rajput states that actors are required to alter their physique quite often and that can definitely be taxing on the body. "Increasingly, every actor is required to be physically fit and to be able to have drastic transformations on screen, it is necessary that your fitness levels be very high. I have been dancing for a long time now and I also took to Kung fu and mixed martial arts to stay fit, so for me, I can easily lose all my body fat in two months or put on 15 kilos in three months. However, for someone who doesn't really exercise regularly, it is difficult to achieve that perfect body. Also, the idea of a perfect body is a myth. One has to understand the body and see what works best for them."   

Everyone's health goal is set

Designer and stylist Kunal Rawal sees who himself struggled with weight issues early in his career and lost a good amount of weight sees a growing awareness.  

"Today every guy has got his goal set - whether he wants to put on muscle mass, or pull down muscles or cut down on the body fat," he shares.  

Kunal is a foodie but he's conscious about his eating habits. He constantly goes through diet and detox plans. "For actors it's work, it's something that's holy to them. However, today everyone is body aware and when you see other people, it motivates you so all in all it's sort of a domino effect," says Rawal who's currently trying to bulk up. 

Less women and more men at the gym

"There were far more women earlier at the gym while now you see more men. The Indian male stereotype is no longer the pot-bellied uncle. Most men today realise that the belly fat is the most obstinate and work out keeping that in mind," adds Kunal. 

Inspiration rather than pressure 

Model Niketan Madhok sees all sorts of pressure on Indian men - career wise and lifestyle choices. "There was a time when one would discuss if a cricketer was a good bowler or a batsman but today people talk about cricketers'  fitness levels. Eating healthy and working out ensures that clothes complement you better and raises your confidence better. When you open a magazine, you see a certain ensemble and you are wondering how lean the model is and you aspire to buy those clothes and look like him."

Madhok asserts that he likes to live on a diet and lifestyle which is sustainable on a regular basis and has never been on a crash diet.

However, he sees it as an inspiration. "I would say that a Tom Cruise or a Brad Pitt is not putting pressure on a 50-year-old man but inspires them."

Always on a diet

Model-turned-actor Freddy Daruwala has faced that pressure too. "I would love to eat chaat masala. However, I have been consistently in shape so it has also become a habit. I am trying to go off the diet because I don't want to be a slave to my body and looks. There's a lot of pressure on guys. Earlier gyms used to be empty and only meant for people who were passionate about bodybuilding. Today everyone wants to look good and change their image. I know of people who are not in media and want to look good. In fact, men who don't gym go for a jog or a swim post their work hours."

Freddy tries to avoid alcohol as much as he can. "If I go partying twice in a week, I don't drink too much. I have been blessed that way but not a lot of people are," he shares. Freddy always eats his diet dinner comprising steamed fish, boiled veggies and fresh cut salads and then goes out.

Girls expect groomed men 

Supermodel Acquin Paes admits that the pressure's always been there. "As a public personality, you have to stay up on your best game and set examples to other people. For the last 12-13 years now, it's a routine for me..The workouts are a part of my life besides sports like basketball. I see a lot of people from other industries who go to gym, go for a manicure and use hair serums and gels. Even girls expect guys to look good. You can't be just a man and get away with it." 

Gyms galore

Model Gaurav Arora says that being in the modelling profession is actually a blessing in disguise as one gets paid to look good. Also, having been a sports inclined boy all his life (he would swim and play hockey in school) fitness comes naturally to him. "In the past five years, the pressure and awareness on young men has definitely increased. The number of gyms opening proves that too. I train in one of the joggers parks and see young boys training in the martial art, kick boxing, dancing and also a lot of kids going for self defense classes. Also, most corporate organisations have started health clubs in their premises which is a refreshing change besides work."

Are supermodels like David Beckham and David Gandy paving the way? "Fashion magazines always make you feel inferior. David Beckham is a sports person and he's given his life to it. Besides, one needs to understand that a lot of Photoshop and lighting which makes these personalities look good."

Tables have turned

There was a time when girls across the board were expected to look a certain way and lose weight. However, men find themselves in the same scenario.  

Gaurav adds, "Earlier men when they were getting married would start working out. Now looking good is sort of becoming a way of life. After sitting in the office the entire day it's good to sweat it out. One feels good."

Gaurav insists that he rarely drink and keeps a check on his alcohol intake. 

Genes play a crucial role

Model and fitness expert Mithun Purandare often comes across young boys coming for advice shares, "It's not possible for everybody to have a body like David Beckham. Genetics has a major role to play in that. Some people work really hard for hours and don't get the same results unlike others who show improvements in no time. People watch movies like 300 and want to translate the imagery into reality but don't understand that you have to follow a tough diet and workout routine. There are no shortcuts."  

The health conscious Mithun rarely consumes alcohol. "It's empty calories. The liver has to act more to throw it out of the body," he adds.

Beaches brimming with men

Model Taher Ali who is excellent shape begins his morning with a run on the Juhu beach followed by a session of acrobatics and then heads for his workout at the gym. He observes, "Juhu beach at 5 am is packed with young guys and they aren't from showbiz. They are from corporate world and other jobs. Even a layman wants to have six packs today."