Talent trumps looks in Bollywood

Manoj Bajpayee had an exceptionally rewarding 2023 with the success of ‘Gulmohar’, ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’, ‘Joram’ and the recent ‘Killer Soup’. 

Bajpayee who was once deemed unsuitable for leading roles because of the perceived lack of attractive looks, has remarkably played his characters with conviction and excellence. He now dominates the world of commercial cinema.

Another case in point is Vikrant Massey, who, despite being ordinary looking, delivered a brilliant performance in the commercially successful ‘12th Fail’. The discerning and judgmental audiences now prioritise performance over appearance or looks. 

Bollywood has mostly perpetuated a tradition of promoting good looks of the protagonists, sometimes even at the expense of talent. In 1973, Prakash Mehra’s ‘Zanjeer’, featured the relatively unknown Amitabh Bachchan, portraying an honest police inspector. Before this movie, he had experienced a string of flops. Bachchan lacked the flamboyance, attractiveness, and typical handsomeness associated with the archetype. ‘Zanjeer’ was released during an era when actors like Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Feroz Khan, and Rajesh Khanna, known for their striking appearances had already established themselves and were enjoying immense success. Yet, the iconic ‘angry young man’ image that Amitabh created in ‘Zanjeer’ defied conventions and became part of cinematic history. It did not just become one of the biggest hits in Bollywood that year but also solidified Amitabh’s position among the legends of Indian cinema. 

In the late ’70s, while struggling to get roles in Bollywood movies after winning the national award in Mrinal Sen’s ‘Mrigaya’ (1976), Mithun Chakraborty had a complex about his darker skin tone. He decided to hone his dance and action skills to overshadow his complexion. The box office success of ‘Surakksha’ (1979), followed by ‘Disco Dancer’ (1982), ‘Pyar Jhukta Nahin’ (1985) and ‘Pyari Behna’ (1985) made him a name to reckon with in Hindi cinema. 

Bollywood, despite its fixation on looks and attractive physiques, has witnessed the rise of several average-looking actors since the late ’70s, who captivated audiences with their exceptional acting and histrionic prowess. In the initial stages of his career, Naseeruddin Shah achieved considerable commercial success with films, ‘Khwab’ (1980), ‘Hum Paanch’ (1980), ‘Masoom’ (1983), and ‘Ghulami’ (1985). These movies also played a pivotal role in establishing his credentials as one of the finest actors in mainstream Bollywood. His success came at a time when the likes of Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna, all known for their handsome looks, were calling the shots. 

Similarly, in Govind Nihalani’s ‘Ardh Satya’ (1983), Om Puri, despite his pockmarked face and fairly ordinary appearance, portrayed the lead role of a disillusioned cop with such conviction and authenticity that the movie became one of the biggest hits of that year. The discerning audience appreciated the movie despite the prevailing notion that people don’t prefer depressing and dark social realities depicted in films. 

The reign of Shah Rukh Khan

The ’90s heralded the arrival of the triumvirate of Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman whose movies did reasonably good business at the box office. Despite not fitting the conventional Bollywood standards of good looks, Shah Rukh Khan achieved instant stardom, in contrast to the conventional good-looking Aamir and Salman, owing to the box office success of three of his movies — ‘Baazigar’ (1993), ‘Darr’ (1993), and ‘Anjaam’ (1994). Shah Rukh played anti-hero roles with a rare clinical precision and ruthless charisma, which the audience wholeheartedly embraced. It was Shah Rukh’s talent and hard work which were the driving forces behind his rise to stardom. 

Ayushmann, Rajkummar Rao

The stupendous success of Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi in the last decade once again reinforces the impression that the audiences are constantly and consistently appreciating talent over looks. The box office success of Ayushmann’s ‘Vicky Donor’ (2012), ‘Article 15’ (2019), ‘Dream Girl’ (2019) and ‘Bala’ (2019), among others, has endeared him to the masses. He is now among the top actors of Bollywood along with the 39-year-old National Award winner Rajkummar Rao. Rao shot to prominence in 2014 after winning the national award for his role in Shahid. 

The 49-year-old Nawazuddin Siddiqui, once revealed in an interview that due to his unimpressive height and looks, even his relatives made fun of him. They said he would never get a chance to act in movies. His ability to bring depth and realism to his characters has indeed established him as a priceless talent in Bollywood. His roles in ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘The Lunchbox’ and ‘Sacred Games’ have earned him critical acclaim and a strong fan following.