From Shakti Kapoor to Vidyut Jammwal, when did male nudity become a thing among Bollywood actors?
Among the many things Bollywood is known for, nudity isn't usually something we associate with the industry. Bollywood has often been seen as more 'parivarik' (family-friendly), with its singing, dancing, and entertainment.
However, from time to time, a male Bollywood celebrity who bares it all in front of the camera—such as the recent case of Vidyut Jammwal—ends up facing criticism from audiences.
What happened
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On December 10, 2023, Bollywood actor Vidyut Jammwal shared photos from his recent 'Himalayan retreat' on Twitter. Five days later, the post had amassed more than 11 million views and 5000 comments. Quite the viral sensation, isn't it?
My retreat to the Himalayan ranges - “the abode of the divine” started 14 years ago. Before I realised, it became an integral part of my life to spend 7-10 days alone- every year. pic.twitter.com/HRQTYtjk6y
— Vidyut Jammwal (@VidyutJammwal) December 10, 2023
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In these pictures, Vidyut wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing, engaging in activities from yoga to cooking noodles.
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In the following five days, Vidyut shared funny memes on Twitter, with people creating amusing captions and photo edits.
Check them out:
While many took a lighthearted approach to Vidyut's photos, the same wasn't true for Ranveer Singh's similar experience.
In July 2022, Ranveer Singh posed nude for Paper magazine’s cover, paying homage to Burt Reynolds’ iconic 1972 shoot for Cosmopolitan magazine.
However, it was not received as artistically as expected. Instead, it sparked a social media uproar, leading Lalit Tekchandani from the Shyam Mangaram Foundation to file an FIR, citing India's "culture."
Male nudity in Bollywood isn't new and was previously viewed as tasteful rather than obscene.
This dates back to Sunil Dutt's scene in the 1965 film Waqt, where he appeared shirtless alongside the famous actress Sadhana Shivdasani, causing a stir at the time.
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Since then, various Bollywood actors, including the Khans and Hrithik Roshan, have flaunted their bare chests for films, enhancing their on-screen charm.
However, going almost naked has been attempted by only a few.
Let's look at some instances:
1. Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor has occasionally stripped off on-screen, like in the movie Khalnayak where he was covered in mud.
The scene received no backlash as it was portrayed tastefully and was integral to the plot.
2. Sunny Deol
Sunny Deol, known for Gaddar, once did a shoot with Dabboo Ratani, later deleted, where he was seen bathing near the Ganga ghat in nothing but red undergarments.
[TW: You are not ready for this.]
Deleted images from dabboo ratnani calendar 2020.
— 10mlmemes (@10mlmemes) February 22, 2020
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.#DabbooRatnani #DabbooRatnaniCalendar #dabbooratnanicalendar2020 #photography #SunnyDeol #calendar #calendar2020 #10mlmemes #memesdaily #memes2020 #meme #memes #SaturdayMotivation #SaturdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/TOKR3HYQtD
3. Shakti Kapoor
Shakti Kapoor, renowned for his villainous roles, has also gone almost naked in a photoshoot, lying down with just a strategically placed blue towel, another magazine feature.
Jumping to the 2000s, Ranbir Kapoor debuted in the 2007 movie Saawariya with a 'Towel' scene that raised eyebrows but didn't lead to any FIRs.
Then there's Aamir Khan and his shoot for 'PK.' While the poster drew mockery and calls for a ban for various reasons, including Aamir Khan appearing almost naked, the Court dismissed the plea to ban the movie.
Bottom line
Even though partial male nudity was quite common in the '60s and back in the 2000s, not everyone today can easily do it, even for artistic or fitness showcases (remember Milind Soman?), thanks to the trolls.