Posted:
Today's edition of TOI 😊
Meet the boy-next-door
It's all about looking plain and simple on TV to connect with the audiences
Amrita Mulchandani
Move over macho looks and hot bods! Soft clean-shaven simple-looking guys are here. Even as you surf channels, the boy-next-door is all set to woo you with his smile. That's the new hero on General Entertainment Channels (GECs) and the girls are approving of the new lot. "Audiences can identify better with the simple looking guys," says TV buff Nikita Bhatnagar. "Besides it's a current wave where plain looking guys are ruling. The trend might change in some time," says Nikita.
Talking about this breed of actors, Sudhir Sharma, television serial producer says, "The target audience is generally home-makers and youngsters and they like the chocolate-boy looks. The macho man does not always create a great fan following among the television audience as the cute guys do." Actor Sudeep Sahir is all smiles because he loves being called the likeable guy next door. "It is a very good compliment. This 'look and appeal' will go on forever and will be loved for several years to come. My looks are my strength," says Sudeep. Ask him if he would want to appear tough and rugged for a change and he says, "In real life I would love not to shave as I am tired of doing it everyday now for my character."
Female actresses on the small screen are not willing to choose though. Says actress Ragini Khanna "I like both kinds... the soft as well as the tough looks. Everyone has a unique personality and that's what matters. I think men who can talk and have a nice conversation are the best. If a guy looks good but can't converse well, he won't score well with me."
At the the end of the day, it is about the performance. "As far as the TV world is concerned, I like guys with good performances and not looks. I don't like cute-looking guys. I like a rough and tough man. But I also enjoyed watching actors with softer looks," says actress Rati Pandey.
The 'chocolate boy' look and the 'sincere, oh-socute and adorable' boynext-door is definitely what seems to be working in Bollywood. Otherwise how would you explain a 45-year- old Aamir Khan transforming himself into a 23-year-old young college guy for a role. On TV, the trend of boys with the simple guy-next-door look is on. But is it here to stay? Only time will tell.
Thanks to Kanchan in the LNMDJ section
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
Cricket
