Men’s Day 2025: Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 actor Omkar Kapoor urges society to rethink modern masculinity norms

Omkar Kapoor has travelled a long way from his early years as a child artist in films like Judaai, Hero No 1 and Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai. His return to the screen with Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 brought him back into the audience’s memory as a calm, relatable performer with an easy presence. On Men’s Day 2025, the actor takes a closer look at what masculinity means today and how men are often misunderstood, both inside and outside the entertainment space.

Omkar believes stories can help change the way society views men. He says many men grow up with the belief that they must stay quiet about their fears or struggles. “By telling more real life stories about most men who fight their battles silently… it’s time we bring that change through stories and characters. It’s ok for men to express their vulnerable and emotional side. The traditional masculine norm needs to change to ‘mard ko bhi dard hota hai’.”

He points to a common assumption that men lack emotional depth. According to him, that belief misses the bigger picture. “One of the common misconceptions about men is that they lack sensitivity and emotions. Men feel emotions equally and as deeply as women do but fail when it comes to communicating,” he says, adding that conditioning plays a major role in this gap.

Talking about the industry, Omkar admits the pressure is constant. “One of the most challenging things as a man and an artist is to prove your worth and value to the makers,” he says. Handling rejection and still showing up with confidence, he adds, becomes part of daily survival. He tries to deal with it by focusing on growth “as an actor and as a human being.”

He also addresses the physical expectations placed on male actors. “Masculinity is not just defined by having a muscular physique… one of the common pressures is to have a chiseled body 365 days a year.” He warns that this obsession often leads to unsafe shortcuts and ignores skill and mental clarity.

Omkar ends by urging the media to be more responsible. “Judgment cannot come at the cost of a man’s life and his image.” His message is simple: men feel, men struggle, and men deserve space to express without fear.