Early warning: the views below are entirely subjective. Nothing in the article is intended to suggest that any other actors not mentioned are not to be reckoned with, I have only commented on the ones I am familiar with. I am sure most will understand that, no matter how much I love TV, I can only keep up to date with a finite number of shows, so please read and enjoy but do not be upset or offended if your favourite "man" is not mentioned.
Is it finally the era of the boys of Indian TV to at least have an equal share of the spotlight, if not outshine, the girls? We are used to Indian television being the dominion of central women characters; we have had a very long run of female-centric shows in the past, and they have certainly paid their due in terms of impact and TRP ratings both. Just when we think that to run a successful Indian soap, the fail-safe recipe is to structure it around a dominating female character, be it positive or negative, or even both, we see a step-change. Yes, the men have arrived to Indian telly town and they are a sight for sore eyes. Little wonder then that females (maybe males too, could not say!) are now spoilt for choice and loving it. They have a welcome break from conventional dramas portraying mainly kitchen politics, and are now treated instead with romance and sizzling on-screen chemistry. From the numerous appealing shows and their stars we have, some certainly make a lasting impression, both in terms of their talents and personas, and the choice roles they get to play.
So what have we got? Let us see ' let us start by taking God's name and I am talking about both a show on a God, and the wonderful actor who brings this deity to life in truly magical style. Yes, I am talking about Life OK's mythological offering, Devon ke Dev Mahadev and versatile model/ actor and perfectionist, Mohit Raina, who has now become indistinguishable from the character he plays ' that of Mahadev aka Lord Shiva. Chiselled features, a physique to die for and expressions that can make you laugh and cry at the drop of a hat, all seem to be Mohit's domain. He has made Shiva come alive for us and his portrayal of a very human, and humane, Mahadev has won over the hearts of young and old alike.
From a "God" to someone who acts as though he is one (on-screen!) ' yes ' I am talking about none other than the heart-throb of most ' the one and only, Arnav Singh Raizada of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon fame. Talk about an unconventional hero and Arnav has got to come to mind. The man re-defined arrogance for us, his portrayal of a seemingly heartless, brutal business tycoon who cares for no one other than his sister, until his happiness (Khushi!) literally falls in his arms, transports us into the pages of a Mills & Boons romance as soon as we tune in for the show. Little wonder then that his very name creates a frenzy with his fans and hysterics abound when Barun Sobti is referred to.
Depicting a more mortal persona, but still crammed with attitude and an inspiring love for our country, Rajveer of Star Plus's relatively new entrant ' Sajda ' Tere Pyaar Mein, brought to life by the dashing Shaleen Bhanot, has already made a "dabbaang" impression. Portraying an intelligence agent, in a story depicting conflict with love and duty, both the show and Ranveer's character, already show great promise. It is clear why we would love Shaleen, with his easy charm, intense performances and the mystique surrounding Ranveer, all we now need to wait for is a display of his fantastic dancing skills, which I am sure the show's makers will not overlook.
We then have the dashing duo, who literally could have been lifted from a Bollywood script. I refer to none other than on-screen brothers Viren and Viraat from the much-liked Star Plus show, Ek Hazaron Mein Meri Behna Hai, portarayed by Karan Tacker and Kushal Tandon, who are setting so many hearts aflutter. The boys are shown very different on-screen, but both appealing and attractive in their own ways ' one is the husband half the nation's girls would give their eye teeth for and the other, the charming rogue, the remaining half would be anxious to claim as theirs. All in all, between them, there is a delectable mix of qualities and characteristics to appease a wide and varied audience.
Finally, I make mention of the "boy next door", a simple man but one who possesses qualities no one would deem a simple task to locate in a life partner. Yes, I am referring to Diya Aur Bati's Suraj, superbly depicted by Anas Rashid, certainly no stranger to female attention thanks to his clean-cut good looks, million watt smile and just general appeal. Suraj seems to buck the current general trend which favours glamorous business tycoons, collegians or just generally a more Westernised male lead, but makes up from any apparent lack of glitz by bringing home the importance of real values ' true family devotion balanced with trying to be an ideal husband as well. Suraj makes us realise that it is more important to have a soul mate who can be truly in tune with your innermost desires, rather than focussing solely on educational or social qualifications, which do not in themselves test a person's character or eligibility.
The above is just a non-exhaustive list of some of the leading men who are making waves at the moment, as indicated at the start. I am by no means suggesting that the shows they star in are not women centred, a lot of them are. However, when we talk of them, the men have made as much of an impact on us as their lovely and multi-talented female counterparts. For example, we now synonymously think of Arnav-Khushi and Suraj-Sandhya, not just one or the other. Similarly, Devon Ke Dev has certainly broken barriers by making mythology a commercial success, that too, with a real patriarchal theme. All in all, it is great to see the wealth of talent and charisma we get treated to nowadays. So ' kudos to our "boys", you already know you are much-loved but we feel we have to say it as credit where credit is due is only fair?
comment:
p_commentcount