New Delhi: ‘I am in shape, round is a shape’ has been the standard line for many men when it comes to their bodies. While much like women, men have been talking about their beer bellies; unlike women, it has always been very fondly. However, with little fits and coughs, men seem to be waking up to a truth: Homer Simpson might be great fun on TV, but in real life, you need more than a balding head and an expanding gut for things to work for you. Especially when unlike a genetically receding hairline, you CAN do something about the gut.
Thanks to meterosexuality, pink shirts, ‘sensitive’ characters like Chandler and Ross (F.R.I.E.N.D.S.) on prime time television or whatever else, from 18-year-olds to those in their late 30s, men want to look good and are not shying away from saying it out loud either. You only have to look as far as the next movie poster to see how the changes have manifested: From the rugged Vinod Khanna-Feroze Khan to the chocolate-meets-beefcake boys, Salman Khan-Sanjay Dutt, men in India have often emulated what the stars do on screen; and we don’t just mean Bollywood. Hrithik Roshan, John Abraham, Ajay Devgan or Saif Ali Khan, or internationally, Daniel Craig, Brad Pitt and David Beckham: the right amount of bulk with agility and cuts is being idolised by men and women alike.
And it’s not just us, the figures speak for a change as well:
- Market analysts Datamonitor, in their research on the male grooming market in the UK found that the average man spends 3.1 hours a week on grooming as opposed to women who spend 2.5 hours.
- Men visiting salons and grooming spas has also seen a rise by 28 per cent annually.
- Looking beyond the West, Singapore has male grooming products contributing to up to 20 per cent of the country’s more than $100 million revenue from grooming products.
- In the Middle East, the beauty sector is experiencing an unprecedented growth in sales, with men beginning to buy cosmetics and related products in the UAE and Gulf countries.
As the image of the Ideal Body Type changes on screen, the persona of the Indian man is changing too. The boys are ready to try a whole lot of things – a la women – to get back in shape. But is it just movie stars who prompted this sudden awakening? Maxim editor, Anup Kutty, does not think so and in fact points to women for this men-tal shift… and even gives some insight into a man’s mind. “Since women are getting too bothered about their appearance, men have been left with no choice but to do the same. Every man likes a well-groomed, well-dressed, nice-smelling lady by his side. Unfortunately, women have figured it out too and will offer the same for a price, which is usually pretty much the same: Neatly trimmed hair, great clothes, good habits. Never trust a woman who says “I don't like men who take care of themselves”. They do. The deal is simple: If you want that hot, slim girl at the bar, you’ve got to shape up to her. Unless of course, you are witty, in which case, none of this applies.”
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Kutty is not the only one to think so. David Zinczenco, editor-in-chief, Men’s Health, America, says in an interview, “As women are becoming more economically, men are starting to realise that it’s not the size of their pay packets but the size of their waistline that's becoming important. It's no wonder that being a fat schlub with a fat wallet isn't enough when women have so many prospects and possibilities… These days, everybody has an iPod. Everyone can afford a plasma TV. A flat stomach is a much more difficult thing to come by. It’s a way to stand out.”
Fitness trainer Kiran Sawhney, of Fitness Solutions, agrees too and says that while wit can get you a certain distance, adding a fit body to a fit mind is double the impact. And men seem to be (finally) realizing that. “Earlier, my aerobics classes had only women in it. Firstly, men have always had a preference for building muscle and second, aerobics was wrongly considered an “only for women” option. However, now men too are realizing that aerobics offers one of the best cardiovascular routines and are joining in as well.” So men don’t want muscles anymore? “They want muscle, but not the pumped-up Suneil Shetty look. They want to be lean, have face cuts… you can see the difference, you did not have Shah Rukh in a bathtub full of rose petals earlier or even a Fair & Handsome for men,” points out Kiran. “Now men are learning that doing weights alone will not give them the body they want: if you are working those biceps, you need your calf muscles to look toned as well. Men are controlling their diets and consulting experts to look good.”
Adds Dr Sushant Shetty, Dermatologist and VP Beauty Services, VLCC, “As against the head massage (champi) that was the only thing men went in for earlier, today men are trying nearly every service available in a parlour. Threading, manicure, pedicure, streaking, rebonding, perming, facial treatments, chemical peeling, they’re trying it all. Why is this happening? A variety of reasons: looking good boosts your confidence, jobs today need you to be good at your work and presentable as well, furthermore products come with certain R&D behind them and men are far more open to trying them. The biggest reason? Pressure from girlfriends and wives to look good! Nothing works better than a woman asking a man to apply cream on dry skin. The men try it under duress first, but once they like the effect, they stick to the habit.”
Does that mean the death of the beer belly? “Not at all,” says Dr Shetty, “Men are doing a lot but they still love their beer belly!” Kutty adds, “Some men take the looking-good to the extreme, even shave their bums, which really is the extreme because it hurts a lot. But getting manicures and pedicures are now becoming increasingly acceptable. You have to understand that no matter what, we will always go by primal instincts. Men will always be cavemen and justify their beer belly by loving and rubbing it in public view. I mean most men.”
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