Sunny Deol opens up on male actors going shirtless, hairy-chested; says, “You should not be ashamed of what you are”

Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol recently discussed male beauty standards and the trend of going shirtless in films. They attributed this practice to their father, Dharmendra, who set the precedent for male actors baring their torsos on screen for storytelling purposes. They also reflected on how the portrayal of the male physique has evolved over time.

In a recent interview with SCREEN, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol were shown a photo of a shirtless, hairy-chested Sunny and asked for their thoughts on male beauty. Bobby remarked, “It started with my dad. I remember Phool Aur Patthar, and it wasn’t about showing his body. It was about what the character was going through. He removed his shirt because there was an old lady sitting there… It was so amazing, that scene. Bhaiya would know more about it because papa would’ve explained to you…”

Sunny Deol elaborated, “In the sequence, papa is drunk and the old lady is shivering. His character is a drunk, he’s a robber, he was an anti-hero. He sees this lady who is shivering, so he just takes off his shirt and puts it on her. It was just a matter of fact."

When asked about the changing beauty standards for men and the perception that hairy chests are no longer considered "aesthetic," Bobby Deol admitted, "Yes, I’m waxed. I actually have less hair growth." Meanwhile, Sunny Deol encouraged men to embrace their natural appearance without shame and cautioned against using shortcuts like steroids to build muscles.

Sunny Deol added, “I have nothing against what people are doing. I have nothing against youngsters; it becomes a fashion and they follow it. But you should not be ashamed of what you are and how you are. Manliness isn’t about having hair on your chest or not, it’s about the strength within.”

“I would advise youngsters, you do sports, you do weight training because you enjoy it. You don’t want to become a bodybuilder. Don’t try to take shortcuts with steroids. Stay away. It’ll build you up, right, but later on it’s going to affect your health very badly," the actor mentioned.

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