STANDING TALL
A group of twenty-something guys are crammed into a small room, flexing their muscles and applying thick layers of fake tan on dark brown skin. It’s approaching 40°C outside but, inside this windowless pen, it’s hard to breathe. Sweat is running freely and the air is thick with a tang of muscle spray as guys attempt to accentuate their bulges before stepping out on stage.
Bodybuilding is booming across India. Mr Universe-inspired competitions and gyms are popping up everywhere, from small towns in the middle of nowhere to megacities like Delhi and Mumbai. In just over a decade, economic prosperity has transformed a struggling nation into a country developing at rapid speed, with smartphones becoming ubiquitous and tech hubs competing with the growth of Silicon Valley.
The country has long viewed itself as a conservative society, shaped by Gandhi’s vision of a post-independence nation built from rural villages, but modern India looks increasingly urban and international. Among its emerging middle-class is a wave of young men who see bodybuilding not only as a means to succeed financially, but as a source of identity. For many, the sport has become an all-encompassing way of life – one requiring a strict diet, rigorous training and significant financial backing.
Nagercoil is a sleepy town in the
