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| Year | Winner | Notable Runners-Up / Finalists | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1995 | | (Set the template for male supermodels) | | 1996 | Bikram Saluja | (Lesser known, but a top model) | | 1997 | Marc Robinson | (Became a top choreographer & VJ) | | 1998 | Dino Morea | John Abraham (2nd Runner Up) | | 1999 | Rajat Bedi | (Actor in Koi... Mil Gaya ) | | 2000 | Vikas Kalantri | (Actor, Jurm ) | | 2001 | Tarun Arora | (Character actor, Gunday ) |

While most of us are familiar with Femina Miss India (now Miss World India), the Gladrags contest carved out a radically different—and arguably more influential—legacy. Running from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s, this pageant wasn't just about a pretty face. It was the launchpad for some of Bollywood’s most unconventional and successful male stars.

When we talk about Indian male beauty pageants, one name dominates the conversation: Gladrags Mr. India.

And judging by the careers of Milind Soman and John Abraham, the answer was a definitive yes.

In this post, we’ll look at why Gladrags Mr. India mattered, who it launched, and how it changed the definition of the Indian male model. Gladrags was a popular fashion and lifestyle magazine in India, known for its bold, westernized, and often edgy content. In an era before social media and reality TV (think pre- Roadies , pre- Splitsvilla ), the magazine needed a live event to amplify its brand.

Gladrags Mr India -

Liked this deep dive into retro pop culture? Subscribe for more posts on forgotten Indian fashion moments, 90s nostalgia, and modeling career tips.

| Year | Winner | Notable Runners-Up / Finalists | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1995 | | (Set the template for male supermodels) | | 1996 | Bikram Saluja | (Lesser known, but a top model) | | 1997 | Marc Robinson | (Became a top choreographer & VJ) | | 1998 | Dino Morea | John Abraham (2nd Runner Up) | | 1999 | Rajat Bedi | (Actor in Koi... Mil Gaya ) | | 2000 | Vikas Kalantri | (Actor, Jurm ) | | 2001 | Tarun Arora | (Character actor, Gunday ) | gladrags mr india

While most of us are familiar with Femina Miss India (now Miss World India), the Gladrags contest carved out a radically different—and arguably more influential—legacy. Running from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s, this pageant wasn't just about a pretty face. It was the launchpad for some of Bollywood’s most unconventional and successful male stars. Liked this deep dive into retro pop culture

When we talk about Indian male beauty pageants, one name dominates the conversation: Gladrags Mr. India. Mil Gaya ) | | 2000 | Vikas

And judging by the careers of Milind Soman and John Abraham, the answer was a definitive yes.

In this post, we’ll look at why Gladrags Mr. India mattered, who it launched, and how it changed the definition of the Indian male model. Gladrags was a popular fashion and lifestyle magazine in India, known for its bold, westernized, and often edgy content. In an era before social media and reality TV (think pre- Roadies , pre- Splitsvilla ), the magazine needed a live event to amplify its brand.