Male actors are redefining the idea of machismo by showcasing their real-life, tender, vulnerable, sensitive side, and the fans are loving it
In an era where vulnerability is the new viral trend, men have reshaped their image of machismo to a more nuanced, emotionally available persona. From Ayushmann Khurrana's real-life poignant poetry to Siddhant Chaturvedi's introspective musings, male celebrities are embracing softness, not as a weakness but as a compelling form of charisma. Ranbir Kapoor, long hailed as Bollywood's heart-breaker, has rebranded himself into a loving father, husband, and actor. Gone are his days of broody boys and commitment-phobic casanovas. On a recent episode with Nikhil Kamath’s podcast WTF, Ranbir opened up about his marriage to Alia Bhatt and the complex relationship he had with his father, the late actor Rishi Kapoor. He smiled softly and spoke about fatherhood that transformed him completely. “He’s like an emotional loaf of bread,” says Akansha Mehta, a fan. The comments are getting weird, but that's just how powerful the “soft celeb” effect is.
Tender & Tough
Rajkummar Rao is known for his nuanced performances, he often plays emotionally intelligent, quiet men who don’t need violence to command the screen.
He wears his vulnerability like an accessory—cool, casual, powerful. Everyone loves to see stars shake it on the dance floor. Some are made for it, and some just don’t make the cut.
Vicky Kaushal, however, has left no stone unturned
in making the audience “obsessed” with his moves in Tauba Tauba. No abs flashing, no robotic choreo, just pure charisma and joy that radiates from Kaushal whenever he is asked to shake a leg. “Ten years ago, a male actor would’ve been dragged for such “goofy” behaviour. Today? It’s considered peak relatability,” says stylist Richelle Arora.
Muscles to Moodboards
There was a time when heroes were expected to beat up 20 goons without messing up their hair. But fast forward to 2025, where today’s most bankable stars are trading their six-packs for pastels, lace, and podcasts. This new generation of actors is not afraid to jump into their ‘’soft celeb’’ suit – it’s here and they are officially melting our hearts.
The new-age Bollywood man doesn’t grunt—he journals. Just ask Siddhant Chaturvedi, who regularly posts poems under #MyNotes on Instagram. The Gully Boy breakout star’s verses are less about flexing pecs and more about heartbreak, longing, and existential rainstorms.
Ink pens and notes apps don’t stand a chance anymore, the actors are here and are hell bent on letting their inner feminine side show. Ayushmann Khu-rrana, Bollywood’s poster boy for offbeat masculinity, has made a career out of challenging norms. Balding, homosexuality, body shaming, and erectile dysfunction— Ayushmann’s filmography reads like a checklist of things our fathers never talked about at the dinner table. He isn't the same guy who would host MTV Roadies; he has evolved, and so have his roles.
Renaissance With More Feelings
There has been a rise in Indie cinema, social media, and intimacy is carving a new meaning in this generation. Fans are here for the authenticity over alpha bravado— they don’t just want safe spaces with good lighting, they want to see stars bring their A game to every event, even if it is fashion.
Men seen in florals, dangly earrings, and gender-fluid fits are now on magazine covers, and if you ever need inspiration for it, Ranveer Singh is your man! He is the maximalist masculinity striding in a blush-pink suit that could make you question your outfit choices. When celebrities cry on talk shows and post sweat-streaked selfies, they’re not mocked but applauded for their courage– let’s put it this way: Ranveer walked in loud, obnoxious outfits so that Vijay Varma could glide in his silk shirts. “There’s a clear shift. Audiences now appreciate honesty, even in how stars present themselves. It’s not just about looking good anymore—it’s about feeling seen,” states stylist and image consultant Rishi Raj.
Real And Reel
Emotional vulnerability was seen as weakness a few years ago, of course, women were the ones who suited the role, but men were seen as mediums to not feel a pinch— they were made to be built differently, if you may say so. With ‘’relatable content’’ floating around and becoming a marketing strategy, some critics question that this softness might just be a staged act to garner more attention. After all, nothing says “vulnerability’’ like a post on Instagram captioned ‘healing’, because it not just evokes feelings, it captures the brand sentiment too.
Cultural critic Neha Sharma offers a fair take, “The performance of sensitivity can
become problematic when it’s used to distract from problematic behavior or reinforce gender binaries under the guise of breaking them.”
Softness Sells & Heals
True softness does just lie in floral shirts, quirky shoes, big hats, and sunnies. While we clap for our boys who are not afraid to cry anymore in front of us, let us not forget that allyship and emotional labour are part of feminist values.
Jim Sarbh, quirky and cerebral, blurs all binaries with his style, roles, and interviews. He doesn’t just portray softness—he lives it, whether he’s rocking a skirt on the red carpet or dismantling masculinity in interviews.
Let’s not forget that mainstream cinema is still sidling the queer narrative, and few actors have openly broken into the leading LGBTQ+ club. Softness is palatable only when served by cis-het men with chiselled jaws, the industry is inching forward with recent movies and series that hint towards the queer collective but is far from fully inclusive.
Despite the caveats, there’s something genuinely refreshing about this era of male stardom. Vulnerability is no longer the punchline—it’s the pitch. And audiences are responding not with mockery but with memes, fan art, and tweets that say, “Protect him at all costs.”
So, here’s to our men in soft cardigans and softer feelings. May they continue crying in movies, quoting poets, and reminding us that it takes real guts to feel things deeply, and say it out loud!
