The leading ladies of Hindi filmdom are in for serious competition from none other than their male counterparts with an ever increasing number of them shedding inhibitions and showing off chiseled torsos and butts.

Whether it is still shots of Bollywood's Adonis -- John Abraham -- with his shorts half pulled down, showing more than a hint of sculpted butt, in upcoming release “Dostana” or it is the towel-dropping scene of “Saawariya” filmed on Ranvir Kapoor, male nudity is on the high in Indian films.



Looking desirable matters, believes “Dostana”-maker Karan Johar. “No mainstream actor should run away from being sexy,” he says. “It's as important for a man to look sexy as it is for a woman. Every superstar has had a high sex appeal - be it Mr. Bachchan, SRK or Hrithik. One must look desirable to be desirable.”

“Dostana” promises plenty of display of male sexuality. The film features John in a pseudo homosexual relationship with Abhishek Bachchan even as both hanker for sizzling-hot Priyanka Chopra. Incidentally, Abhishek was named a gay icon a couple of years ago and will be seen working his brooding sexiness to the hilt in the film.



Director Apoorva Lakhia, who made “Shootout at Lookanwala” and “Mission Istanbul”, believes that in India women don't go and watch action films, so it helps to have sexy looking men. And in a macho film, it is not uncommon to see girls doing awe-inspiring action stunts while the men look good.

Even mighty superstar Shah Rukh Khan realized what women want when he worked on his abs to reach six-pack status in his last mega hit “Om Shanti Om” after spending nearly two decades without having to take off his shirt for any scene.