Soman started his modelling career in 1989 and rose to prominence in the 1990s. The year 1995 was significant for both Soman and millennials as the model captivated women with his appearance on the TV show A Mouthful of Sky, which marked his acting debut. The same year, he sparked controversy with his paired alongside model Madhu Sapre. He was everywhere–from magazines to news headlines.
In the ad, Sapre and Soman look intensely into the camera, while sharing a half-embrace. A python is lounging casually on Soman’s neck with not a single shred of clothing worn by the duo. They do have Tuff sneakers adorning their feet.
The meltdown was iconic.
The term NSFW wasn’t even around in popular lingo back then, and yet it was a ‘not safe for work’ ad that had everyone offended—women’s rights organisations to political parties and animal rights activists. But that only fanned the fire of desire for Soman brighter.
While Soman showed his hand all at once, Khatter has been a slow-burn. As the popular catchphrase goes, ‘understand the chronology’. The actor has both a good physique and acting prowess. He impressed audiences with his performance in Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy (2020). Starring opposite the ethereal Tabu, he made love look giddy and poetic all at once.
It was in 2024 when the murder mystery The Perfect Couple dropped, and the audience had a voyeuristic glimpse of Amelia (Eve Hewson) watching Shooter (Khatter) come out of the swimming pool. That made everyone sit up and take notice of the other offerings of the actor.
Right after that, Khatter appeared with his abs half-covered with dry soil on the cover of The Dirty Magazine, with another picture inside that could be the real reason for global warming—Khatter in a pair of Calvin Klein boxers and wrapped in a wet white cloth, with light accentuating his toned torso.
He hit a hat-trick with his latest role as Prince Aviraaj Singh in The Royals. In the show, Soman plays his father who passes the mantle to Khatter’s character, and now the same has happened off-screen too. We have a worthy successor to Soman, and he is just getting warmed up.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)
