Bollywood’s Hot Boys and Girls
How six-packs became a religion in the world’s largest film industry.
The year was 1998. In America, Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google. In Europe, state officials were planning for the launch of the Euro. And in India, something happened that changed the country forever: Salman Khan took off his shirt to reveal abs.
The movie was Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998), the song, “O O Jaane Jaana.” Khan was astonishing the audience not with his ability to play an electric guitar without a chord, but with his throbbing, glistening biceps.
“Uska body,” a woman selling fish told me, explaining why Salman Khan is her favorite hero of all time. Ask women throughout Mumbai and you’ll hear “Salman” again and again. They love his “attitude,” they love his “style,” they love it when he takes off his shirt.