Why stars like Katrina Kaif, Sunny Leone, Ajay Devgn are losing out

Image, they say in showbiz, is a two-edged sword. You cannot survive without it, because image is the one powerful weapon that effortlessly helps you create a fan base. On the other hand, you cannot survive with it for long. It typecasts the roles coming your way, eroding the glamour quotient.

The answer is reinvention, but that is easier said than done. Image trap is often almost impossible to rid. It does not affect for a while when an actor is at the top of his or her game, but trouble starts when roles begin to dry up.

It happens especially to actors after they have survived a decade or more in the film industry. The pressure of competition — especially from a younger lot — soon starts making stars who bank on image look jaded.

The same image that once catapulted them to stardom starts seeming like a burden.

Image trap as a phenomenon is not new to Bollywood. The biggest of stars have faced it. Very few — Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan come to mind automatically — have successfully countered it and survived.

A quick scan of the current scenario reveals there are a host of stars who could be facing the blues owing to the failure to reinvent themselves. These are all stars who have proved their worth at the box-office in the past. Yet their fate lately has been far from what they might have hoped, which in turn underlines the fact that it is perhaps time for change.

Can Bollywood’s current lot facing the image trap reinvent successfully? Time will tell.

Here is a look at how the image trap affects some of the top stars of Bollywood:

AJAY DEVGN

Trademark: Intense brooder who lets his eyes do the talking.

Last release: Drishyam.

The problem: When Ajay rode into Bollywood striding two motorbikes in his 1991 debut film Phool Aur Kaante, his dark, average looks combined with machismo was an instant winner. Over the years, he also proved his acting prowess. Lately, however, he has failed to take the brooder act to the next level. He looks repetitive, whether he plays the killer in Action Jackson, the villager in Drishyam or the supercop in Singham.

The solution: Ajay tried comedy with the Golmaal films for variation, but it did not help much. He needs more unique script ideas to compliment his intensity.

HRITHIK ROSHAN

Trademark: Superdancer who defines body beautiful.

Last release: Bang Bang!

The problem: If ever there was a star whose only problem is his killer looks, it is Hrithik. The picture of perfection that the strapping hunk presents has barred him from bagging many a role that demands realistic traits. Conversely, he perhaps had to settle on the uber-nonsensical Bang Bang! just because the sheer magnitude of the production matched his larger-than-life image. His overpowering image shadows any role he plays.

The solution: Papa Rakesh Roshan recently announced a romantic film with Hrithik. The star needs to continue trying variations in roles, as he did with Jodhaa-Akbar or Guzaarish.

KATRINA KAIF

Trademark: Glam diva with proven dancing skills.

Last release: Phantom.

The problem: She may understand Hindi by now but Katrina clearly still seems uncomfortable with the emotional nuances of the language. It is something that comes across on screen because the British-Kashmiri beauty is obviously thinking in English while acting in Hindi. The problem is a serious one because you don’t get roles of depth if you don’t emote correctly while mouthing dialogues. The fact doesn’t help either that 30-plus Katrina now has to fend against younger imported beauties eyeing her glam roles.

The solution: She has signed Abhishek Kapoor’s Fitoor, a Bollywoodised Great Expectations to prove her acting depth. She tried an action flick Phantom but it didn’t help.

VIDYA BALAN

Trademark: One of our finest actresses with a de-glam, desi image.

Last release: Hamari Adhuri Kahani.

The problem: A glorious run a few years ago saw her win the national award for The Dirty Picture, besides score with Kahaani and Ishqiya. Flops followed, and some blamed her marriage while others accounted weight issues as the reason. The truth is Bollywood turns cruel to actresses who have crossed 35. Roles are drying up for Vidya now. Lately, she has had duds such as Hamari Adhuri Kahani, Bobby Jasoos and Shaadi Ke Side Effects.

The solution: Vidya needs to adopt the Kajol formula, returning if and only she gets a role is worth her talent.

SUNNY LEONE

Trademark: Oomph unlimited.

Last release: Kuch Kuch Locha Hai.

The problem: Coming into Bollywood flaunting her exporn star label liberally has meant that Sunny needs to play the sex symbol in every film, or else Bollywood is not interested. Her strike rate since her debut film Jism 2 (three flops and two semi-hits) proves her formula is not fool-proof. In any case, she is stuck with lowbudget skin flicks since no big banner or star seems keen to work with her.

The solution: None visible at the moment, really.

SAIF ALI KHAN

Trademark: Good-natured loverboy with a harmless, mischievous streak.

Last release: Phantom.

The problem: An early chequered career took a dramatic upswing in the mid 2000s with a national award for Hum Tum and wide acclaim for Omkara but Saif failed to maintain the momentum. Although intermittent hits such as Race, Cocktail and Love Aaj Kal kept him going for a while, things have slowed down lately. Despite varied roles Saif seems to shine only playing the loverboy. At 45, that is not exactly an ideal image to flaunt.

The solution: Lately, he has tried action with Bullett Raja, slapstick with Humshakals and thriller with Phantom. While variety is good, he needs films with stronger scripts.

EMRAAN HASHMI

Trademark: Bollywood’s serial kisser.

Last release: Hamari Adhuri Kahani.

The problem: For a while, he looked like Bollywood’s most unconventional mainstream hero, mixing the rakish anti-hero image with sensuous vibes (read: his sojourn as Bollywood’s serial kisser). Nearly a decade after he shot to stardom exploiting that trademark in Murder, Emraan looks typecast whenever he comes up with a new film. He tried playing a good guy in his latest Hamari Adhuri Kahani and the superhuman vigilante in Mr X but failed.

The solution: Emraan needs to focus on the roles and scripts rather than banner, director, and overall packaging.

SONAKSHI SINHA

Trademark: Desi beauty among the GenNow lot.

Last release: Tevar.

The problem: At a time when other rising actresses were chasing an ultra-mod image, she became a star playing a 100 per cent Indian beauty in Dabangg. Magic became monotony soon, and the younger heroes soon turned wary of her traditional image. The older heroes, on the other hand, have lately avoided signing her — she has already done too many films with them.

The solution: She is focussed on Akira, her upcoming action film. It is her bid to look cool on screen, to prove she can score even without playing the trademark desi beauty.