Are you man enough? Sharad opines

While much has been said about the modern day superwoman, not enough attention has been focused on how much the New Age man has to be on his toes to ensure that he is entitled to be called that. From being well groomed to having a cool job, to being well read and sensitive, being a "man" has never constituted quite so much effort. So, how does the contemporary man handle the added pressure?

Popular TV actor and host Sharad Kelkar says the pressure isn't entirely unwelcome. "There is no doubt that times have changed now, and a lot more is expected from men," he says. "But everybody has to learn how to keep up with the times and change accordingly. As for me, yes, I do feel the pressure to be perfect — but that pressure is vital if you want to stay at the top."

Engineer Sushrut Karnik says men find it difficult to cope simply because the pressure to be perfect is a relatively new phenomenon. "Women have always had to meet a lot of demands, but for men, this wasn't always the case," he says. "It's a very recent urban phenomenon."

And one that is dictated by — women! So believes 22-year-old Vineet Sheth. "All these things: Sensitivity, well groomed, well read — these are things women require of men. These are qualities we develop to attract the opposite sex. Maybe we need to focus more on pleasing ourselves," he says.

Or on being a throwback to the old idea of being "manly". "It shouldn't take any effort for a man to be manly," says artist Anand Radhakrishnan. "For such a long time, it was okay for men to be shabby, but they had to be physically strong and controlling. Now there are new ideas. I think the solution lies in being principled and assertive. That will never go out of style."