It’s important to begin by mentioning Ranveer Singh’s moustache. Everything comes down to it: that is undoubtedly a pimp’s moustache. But Singh is a family man here. The real question, creepy moustache aside, is what brings together a charismatic pornstar, a powerhouse Bollywood actor and performances intentionally in the spirit of a ’90s C-grade film? In a new advertisement for Bold Care, a hitherto obscure men’s health brand, Singh shares the screen with Johnny Sins. Yes, you read that right (and don’t pretend you don’t know the name). If you must pretend, Sins is a war veteran, an apprentice dentist, a humble plumber, a pizza delivery man, a raunchy rancher, an astronaut who defies gravity in more ways than one and a journalist serving news that hits below the belt—all in the realm of adult entertainment. Singh, who appeared in a Durex ad in 2014, is no stranger to talking about bedroom matters; both the actors’ commitment to the bit needs no fluffing.
The scene is of domestic discord. Singh’s sister-in-law is threatening to leave Sins forever. There must be a reason for this dissent, a source of the commotion. She says, in innuendo, “Inki daali pe kabhi phool nahi khilta!” Roughly, she’s accusing Sins of not blooming… in a way. A long, hard look at the actor may cause some to believe she’s talking about Sins being bald. He’s been so for a long time though, a fitting sculpture to bring out his eyes, his shiny blue eyes that are a potent tool in his varied arsenal. Her next missive: a certain Pappu cannot dance and Johnny is incapable of committing the primal sin. In a wider shot, it is revealed that this sermon on family jewels is not a private one and a grandma doesn’t pull punches. The old woman backhands her, sending her rolling over the bannister. She’s falling. In crude imagery, with the exaggerated flair of K-serials, Sins catches hold of her and this act of passion unlocks something in both of them. Back on the ground, Singh encourages Johnny to take ‘bold’ care of his consort going forward.
A decade ago, Singh lent his voice to the Durex anthem ‘Do The Rex’, which presented sex as a dance. Later, in a collaborative advert with Sobhita Dhulipala for the same brand, he would reinvent places where having sex was a possibility: beneath a table of fine bone china, on a Pilates ball, on a rocking chair in the sweltering sun. To say the least, Singh is a figure who channels the sort of sex positivity that can stand on its own amidst the benign portrayals of lovemaking: the ruffling of flowers, a quivering bush in an orchard, the crashing of waves against the shore, a glance laced with lust as the door closes. In all films released after Lootera (2013), Singh has embraced a machismo that is both guarded yet revels in its own glory; a kind of physical ownership of spirit that exudes crackling charm. This was especially evident in the 2022 photoshoot for Paper magazine, where dim lighting snaked through his curves and bounced off his bare body. It is refreshing, then, to see him join hands with Johnny Sins, a personality whom many in India know but refuse to acknowledge, a full-blown titan with raw talent and a balls-to-the-wall dedication.
During the money shot of the advertisement, Ranveer Singh stares through your soul and looks peaky. He brings up alarming statistics, such as the fact that every four in ten men suffer from ‘bedroom problems’. In the background, Sins messes around with his equipment. It is impossible to take in how enormous the problem is, and how, in a legacy charged with tumescent male ego, men seldom seek help. Even though the first—most obvious—step towards sexual wellbeing is to kill the stigma surrounding it, one can’t imagine many other A-grade actors commanding the kind of control over the narrative that Singh has. The actor is a good-natured fiend here and it is promising that, despite the laughs and shock factor, the uncanny casting will bring greater attention to the issue. For people into the many adventures of Bollywood’s rowdy prince, this is Christmas come early.
