One thing that really struck me about the new JHMS trailer released today was how delightfully familiar SRK looked in that leather jacket.  I could do a whole other post on the psychological meaning of leather jackets (Western, motorcycles, slightly forbidden, impractical (SO HOT IN INDIA), helps hide narrow shoulder and expanding waist issues), but we don’t need that, we just know that men in leather jackets=bad boy sexy.

First, and I paused and screenshotted the trailer just to get this for you because I love you (and also because I wanted it for myself), the newest incarnation of leather jacket SRK.  And I kept boring European dude in the corner, because you really need the contrast to make it pop.

Okay okay, I will give you the close-up version as well.

Okay, this is pretty good.  The bad boy thing undercut in the best possible way.  (there is a reason for all those romance novels with titles like “Cowboy Detective Doctor Spy Millionaire Duke Biker Boxer Bad Boy and Baby”)

(the baby is either catatonic with ecstasy, or sleepy and doesn’t care who is holding him)

And just for comparison (thank you Indiatimes!), let us look at Shahrukh of the past versus Shahrukh of the present.

And then, because I felt so bad about missing him until Karthik pointed it out in the comments on the sunglasses post, Hrithik gets the next slot!  How does he look better in a candid shot than most models look posed?

Okay, I’m not crazy, right?  The half-unshaven plus leather jacket look is really good on Varun here?

You know who can surprisingly make a leather jacket work?  Maybe because it adds a touch of powerful manliness to his baby boy vibe?  Ranbir!

Even in glasses!  Or maybe especially in glasses?

But I think the hipster knit cap is a little too far.  Leather jacket in India looks like “I am so cool, heat has no effect on me”.  Knit cap in India looks like “I am a hipster idiot”.

Dips-like, for me, after Ranbir always comes Ranveer.  And I think he may look terrible?  You need a certain kind of “I don’t notice what I wear” to pull off something as obviously impractical as a leather jacket (setting aside the heat in India issue, it’s a super expensive item of clothing that replaces something that will perform the same function for a fraction of the price).  And Ranveer always looks like he cares.

This is a little closer, but still not great Ranveer.  Plus it’s got early-Ranveer hair, which has a certain nostalgia to it, but is otherwise unattractive.

Arjun‘s got Mubarakan coming out, feel like I should acknowledge him.  Plus, this photo is like the definition of “swag”.

And if you were disappointed because you thought I meant the other Arjun, not to worry!  He is here too!  And it’s possible a leather jacket may be the one thing he can’t wear?

Scratch that, this version works.

Oh young John Abraham!  Why don’t you look like this any more?

Oh, that reminds me, young Abhishek too!  I like current Abhishek fine (better to age into a slight gut than age into whatever we would call current John Abraham), but Dhoom 1-era Abhishek had something a little special.

Present day real life Abhishek has a different take on the leather jacket, less dangerous dork, and more “Yeah, I can be cool and sweet because check it out, I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world.”

 

Okay, I could go on like this forever, and I am sure you will have things to add in the comments, but I have to stop sometime!  And so, finally, the most classic leather jacket of all Indian film.  No, not DDLJ, Maine Pyar Kiya came before that and has the one true leather jacket of Indian film.

 

PS  One more!  I check out the real original leather jacket wearer: