'Rich-looking actors...': Pratik Gandhi on Bollywood's obsession with looks
What's the story
The recent debate over beauty standards in Bollywood was reignited by Salman Khan's defense of Katrina Kaif against trolls criticizing her postpartum body on Bigg Boss. In a recent interview with News18, actors Pratik Gandhi and Arshad Warsi revealed that these unrealistic beauty standards aren't just limited to women but also apply to men.
Actor's perspective
'This happened in my initial years when...'
Gandhi opened up about his early career, saying he missed out on roles because he didn't look "rich enough."
He said, "This happened in my initial years when I would audition for television shows."
"Even today, when I speak to my friends, I realize that the messages that get forwarded to aspiring actors is still the same."
"There's a requirement of rich-looking actors and that those who are rich-looking only should apply. What's this rich look? I don't know."
Co-star's reaction
Warsi calls it 'stupidest thing ever'
Warsi, Gandhi's co-star in the film Ghamasaan, echoed his sentiments.
He said, "It's wrong. It's the stupidest thing ever! Yeh kya logic hui yaar? I don't understand this. It's very odd."
Director Tigmanshu Dhulia also weighed in on the issue, saying, "I think they feel that rich people are fair-looking. That's a very, very wrong way of looking at actors."
"When they say rich, they want a fair-complexioned, tall man or woman."
Practical approach
Warsi wants to be realistic about his looks
Warsi also acknowledged that he doesn't fit the traditional physical mold of Bollywood heroes and wants to be realistic about his looks.
He said, "Tomorrow if I say that I look like Hrithik Roshan, then I'm a fool. One has got to be realistic. I'm not 6'2. I have to be realistic about that."
"If you ask me to play Thor, I'll have a problem with that...You've to be practical somewhere."
Meanwhile, Ghamasaan is out on ZEE5 now.